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Structural White Matter Alterations in Male Adults With High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder and Concurrent Depressive Symptoms; a Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study Publisher Pubmed



Mohajer B1 ; Masoudi M2 ; Ashrafi A3 ; Mohammadi E1 ; Bayani Ershadi AS4 ; Aarabi MH2 ; Uban KA5
Authors
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Authors Affiliations
  1. 1. Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  2. 2. Faculty of medicine, Tehran university of medical science, Tehran, Iran
  3. 3. Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  4. 4. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
  5. 5. Program in Public Health, University of California Irvine, Irvine, United States

Source: Journal of Affective Disorders Published:2019


Abstract

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a prevalent developmental condition, is associated with comorbid mood disorders, most importantly depression. Here, we explored the underlying association between brain white matter microstructural integrity, assessed by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and depressive symptoms, in male adults with high-functioning ASD. Method: To assess our main purpose, Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange II dataset was used to acquire brain diffusion imaging from 26 adult male patients with ASD ranging from 18 to 62 years of age, and 26 age and gender-matched typically developed control subjects. Participants were evaluated for depressive symptoms manifestation by the Beck Depression Index (BDI). DWI images were preprocessed and analyzed for DTI scalers in the “ExploreDTI” toolbox. Adjusted linear regression models were used. Association between normalized BDI score and its interaction with diagnosis, as predictors, and measures of fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) of regions of interest according to Mori atlas was assessed. Result: Significant lower microstructural integrity of white matter was found in association with higher BDI scores in ASD group, mainly in regions of anterior limb of internal capsule (ALIC) and corona radiata. Also, a statistically significant positive interaction between BDI and ASD was seen in FA of left ALIC. Discussion: Considering similar regional brain white matter involvement with the imaging studies of depression in the typically developed population, we propose that these alterations of white matter tracts in depressive symptoms of adult ASD subjects might be, at least, similar to depression in typically developed population. © 2019 Elsevier B.V.
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