title: Altered microstructural connectivity of the superior cerebellar peduncle is related to motor dysfunction in children with autistic spectrum disorders.
abstract: Many studies have reported motor impairments in autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). However, the brain mechanism underlying motor impairment in ASD remains unclear. Recent neuroimaging studies have suggested that underconnectivity between the cerebellum and other brain regions contributes to the features of ASD. In this study, we investigated the microstructural integrity of the cerebellar pathways, including the superior, middle, and inferior cerebellar peduncles, of children with and without ASD by using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography to determine whether the microstructural integrity of the cerebellar pathways is related to motor function in children with ASD. Thirteen children with ASD and 11 age-, gender-, handedness-, and IQ-matched typically developing (TD) controls were enrolled in this study. DTI outcome measurements, such as fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD), for the cerebellar pathways were calculated. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children 2 (M-ABC 2) was used for assessing motor functions. There were no significant differences between the two groups in RD. However, compared to the TD subjects, patients with ASD had a significantly lower FA in the right superior cerebellar peduncle and lower AD in the left superior cerebellar peduncle, in addition to a significantly lower score in ball skills and the total test score of M-ABC 2. There was a significant positive correlation between the total test score of M-ABC 2 and FA in the right superior cerebellar peduncle in the ASD group. These findings suggest that the altered microstructural integrity of the superior cerebellar peduncle may be related to motor impairment in ASD.
authors.affiliation: United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryuzo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hanaie
authors.forename: Ikuko
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mohri
authors.forename: Kuriko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kagitani-Shimono
authors.forename: Masaya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tachibana
authors.forename: Junji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Azuma
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Norihiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: Masako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taniike
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016880:Anisotropy; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
references.citation: Magn Reson Med. 2011 Jun;65(6):1532-56
references.pmid: 21469191
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2006 Mar 15;26(11):3066-76
references.pmid: 16540585
references.citation: Brain Res. 2010 Nov 29;1362:141-9
references.pmid: 20858472
references.citation: Neuroimage. 2010 Apr 15;50(3):873-82
references.pmid: 20074650
references.citation: Schizophr Res. 2009 Jul;112(1-3):46-53
references.pmid: 19487109
references.citation: Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2011 Feb;45(2):153-62
references.pmid: 21128874
references.citation: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2010 Dec;49(12):1269-78, 1278.e1-2
references.pmid: 21093776
references.citation: Brain Cogn. 2011 Feb;75(1):18-28
references.pmid: 21055864
references.citation: Front Neuroanat. 2009 Sep 04;3:14
references.pmid: 19753325
references.citation: Autism Res. 2012 Apr;5(2):124-36
references.pmid: 22359275
references.citation: Autism. 2009 Jul;13(4):411-33
references.pmid: 19535469
references.citation: Autism Res. 2008 Dec;1(6):341-53
references.pmid: 19360689
references.citation: J Autism Dev Disord. 2000 Jun;30(3):205-23
references.pmid: 11055457
references.citation: Brain. 1998 May;121 ( Pt 5):889-905
references.pmid: 9619192
references.citation: Front Integr Neurosci. 2012 Nov 07;6:99
references.pmid: 23162442
references.citation: J Neurophysiol. 1999 Jul;82(1):103-14
references.pmid: 10400939
references.citation: Trends Neurosci. 2008 Jul;31(7):361-70
references.pmid: 18538868
references.citation: Neurosci Lett. 2003 Sep 4;348(1):17-20
references.pmid: 12893415
references.citation: Neuroimage. 2003 Nov;20(3):1714-22
references.pmid: 14642481
references.citation: Dev Med Child Neurol. 2009 Apr;51(4):311-6
references.pmid: 19207298
references.citation: Brain. 2000 Apr;123 ( Pt 4):836-44
references.pmid: 10734014
references.citation: J Autism Dev Disord. 2010 Mar;40(3):300-16
references.pmid: 19924522
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1998 Nov 10;95(23):13982-7
references.pmid: 9811912
references.citation: Ment Retard. 1996 Feb;34(1):39-53
references.pmid: 8822025
references.citation: Psychiatry Res. 2006 Jan 30;146(1):73-82
references.pmid: 16376059
references.citation: J Autism Dev Disord. 2010 Oct;40(10):1227-40
references.pmid: 20195737
references.citation: Psychiatry Res. 2009 Apr 30;172(1):61-7
references.pmid: 19243924
references.citation: Biol Psychiatry. 2002 Oct 15;52(8):805-10
references.pmid: 12372652
references.citation: Cerebellum. 2010 Mar;9(1):22-8
references.pmid: 19513801
references.citation: Exp Brain Res. 2008 Mar;185(3):359-81
references.pmid: 18251019
references.citation: Neuroimage. 2012 Jan 16;59(2):1560-70
references.pmid: 21907811
references.citation: Neuroimage. 2007 Aug 15;37(2):387-93
references.pmid: 17583535
references.citation: Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2006 Dec;16(6):645-9
references.pmid: 17071073
references.citation: J Neurol. 2008 Nov;255(11):1703-11
references.pmid: 18821045
references.citation: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2001 Jun;40(6):666-72
references.pmid: 11392344
references.citation: Cerebellum. 2012 Dec;11(4):957-71
references.pmid: 22477362
references.citation: Acta Neuropathol. 2010 Jun;119(6):755-70
references.pmid: 20198484
references.citation: Neurology. 2004 Dec 14;63(11):2056-61
references.pmid: 15596750
references.citation: J Neurophysiol. 2011 Nov;106(5):2322-45
references.pmid: 21795627
references.citation: J Comp Neurol. 1995 Mar 27;354(1):57-70
references.pmid: 7615875
references.citation: Nat Rev Neurosci. 2006 Jul;7(7):511-22
references.pmid: 16791141
references.citation: Autism Res. 2009 Feb;2(1):50-9
references.pmid: 19358307
references.citation: Neuroimage. 2007 Oct 1;37(4):1138-47
references.pmid: 17689104
references.citation: Cerebellum. 2011 Mar;10(1):70-80
references.pmid: 21072692
references.citation: Magn Reson Med. 2012 Aug;68(2):474-83
references.pmid: 22162075
references.citation: Ann Neurol. 2005 Jan;57(1):67-81
references.pmid: 15546155
references.citation: Anat Rec (Hoboken). 2011 Oct;294(10):1646-52
references.pmid: 21901839
references.citation: Cerebellum. 2012 Jun;11(2):336-51
references.pmid: 21240580
references.citation: J Autism Dev Disord. 2009 Feb;39(2):231-41
references.pmid: 18629623
references.citation: Brain Res Bull. 2009 Aug 28;80(1-2):30-5
references.pmid: 19505539
references.citation: Ann Neurol. 2005 Jan;57(1):8-16
references.pmid: 15597383
references.citation: Magn Reson Med. 2004 Sep;52(3):559-65
references.pmid: 15334575
references.citation: Int Rev Neurobiol. 2005;71:167-78
references.pmid: 16512350
references.citation: J Neuroinflammation. 2011 May 19;8:52
references.pmid: 21595886
references.citation: Neuropsychologia. 1971 Mar;9(1):97-113
references.pmid: 5146491
references.citation: Pediatr Phys Ther. 2009 Summer;21(2):205-11
references.pmid: 19440131
references.citation: Brain. 2005 Feb;128(Pt 2):268-76
references.pmid: 15548557
references.citation: J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 1998 Jul;57(7):645-52
references.pmid: 9690668
references.citation: Am J Psychiatry. 2003 Feb;160(2):262-73
references.pmid: 12562572
references.citation: Int J Psychophysiol. 2007 Feb;63(2):164-72
references.pmid: 16820239
references.citation: Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2006 Aug;15(5):256-64
references.pmid: 16554961
references.citation: Neurology. 1985 Jun;35(6):866-74
references.pmid: 4000488
references.citation: Brain Cogn. 2010 Feb;72(1):26-35
references.pmid: 19595493
references.citation: Neurology. 2001 Jul 24;57(2):245-54
references.pmid: 11468308
references.citation: Neuroreport. 2005 Jan 19;16(1):73-6
references.pmid: 15618894
references.citation: Neuroimage. 2007 Jul 1;36(3):630-44
references.pmid: 17481925
references.citation: J Neuroradiol. 2007 May;34(2):115-28
references.pmid: 17481730
references.citation: Ann Neurol. 1999 Feb;45(2):265-9
references.pmid: 9989633
references.citation: Neurology. 1992 Apr;42(4):753-60
references.pmid: 1565227
references.citation: J Autism Dev Disord. 2012 Sep;42(9):1799-809
references.pmid: 22180003
references.citation: J Autism Dev Disord. 2012 Sep;42(9):1870-83
references.pmid: 22189963
references.citation: Acta Neuropathol. 2007 May;113(5):559-68
references.pmid: 17235515
references.citation: Biol Psychiatry. 2004 Aug 15;56(4):269-78
references.pmid: 15312815
references.citation: Neuroimage. 2010 Jul 1;51(3):1117-25
references.pmid: 20132894
references.citation: J Child Neurol. 2009 Sep;24(9):1085-104
references.pmid: 19745085
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2009 Mar 4;29(9):2805-13
references.pmid: 19261876
references.citation: Eur J Neurol. 2009 Nov;16(11):1185-90
references.pmid: 19538216
references.citation: NMR Biomed. 2002 Nov-Dec;15(7-8):435-55
references.pmid: 12489094
references.citation: Neuroimage. 2008 Jul 15;41(4):1184-91
references.pmid: 18495494
references.citation: Cell Mol Neurobiol. 2002 Apr;22(2):171-5
references.pmid: 12363198