Brain morphology in autism and fragile X syndrome correlates with social IQ: first report from the Canadian-Swiss-Egyptian Neurodevelopmental Study.
Fragile X syndrome shares most of the behavioral phenotypic similarities with autism. How are these similarities reflected in brain morphology? A total of 10 children with autism and 7 with fragile X underwent morphological (T1) 1.5-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The authors found no significant difference in total brain volumes, regional volumes, gyrification index, sulcul depth, and cerebral cortical thickness. However, children with autism showed significant decrease in the medial prefrontal bilaterally and the left anterior cingulate cortices. Regression analysis revealed positive correlation between the medial prefrontal cortical thickness and the social IQ. The authors suggest that the difference between the 2 groups in the medial prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortices thickness may entail an altered social cognitive style. Functional MRI studies directly differentiating between social indifference (autism) and social avoidance (fragile X) are needed to further characterize the spectrum of social abnormalities between these 2 groups.
Meguid
Nagwa
N
Department of Children with Special Needs, Medical Genetics Division, The National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
Fahim
Cherine
C
Yoon
Uicheul
U
Nashaat
Neveen H
NH
Ibrahim
Ahmed S
AS
Mancini-Marie
Adham
A
Brandner
Catherine
C
Evans
Alan C
AC
D000293:Adolescent; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000473:pathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002170:Canada; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004534:Egypt; D056348:Emotional Intelligence; D005260:Female; D005600:Fragile X Syndrome / Q000473:pathology*; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009929:Organ Size; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000473:pathology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013557:Switzerland