Women with autistic-spectrum disorder: magnetic resonance imaging study of brain anatomy.
BACKGROUND
Our understanding of anatomical differences in people with autistic-spectrum disorder, is based on mixed-gender or male samples.


OBJECTIVE
To study regional grey-matter and white-matter differences in the brains of women with autistic-spectrum disorder.


METHODS
We compared the brain anatomy of 14 adult women with autistic-spectrum disorder with 19 controls using volumetric magnetic resonance imaging and voxel-based morphometry.


RESULTS
Women with autistic-spectrum disorder had a smaller density bilaterally of grey matter in the fronto-temporal cortices and limbic system, and of white matter in the temporallobes (anterior) and pons. In contrast, they had a larger white-matter density bilaterally in regions of the association and projection fibres of the frontal, parietal, posterior temporal and occipital lobes, in the commissural fibres of the corpus callosum (splenium) and cerebellum (anterior lobe). Further, we found a negative relationship between reduced grey-matter density in right limbic regions and social communication ability.


CONCLUSIONS
Women with autistic-spectrum disorder have significant differences in brain anatomy from controls, in brain regions previously reported as abnormal in adult men with the disorder. Some anatomical differences may be related to clinical symptoms.
Craig
Michael C
MC
PO Box 50, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF, UK. m.craig@iop.kcl.ac.uk
Zaman
Shahid H
SH
Daly
Eileen M
EM
Cutter
William J
WJ
Robertson
Dene M W
DM
Hallahan
Brian
B
Toal
Fiona
F
Reed
Suzie
S
Ambikapathy
Anita
A
Brammer
Mick
M
Murphy
Clodagh M
CM
Murphy
Declan G M
DG
D000328:Adult; D020817:Asperger Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology; D003142:Communication; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000473:pathology; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008032:Limbic System / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011149:Pons / Q000473:pathology; D012016:Reference Values; D012919:Social Behavior