title: Volumetric alterations in the heteromodal association cortex in children with autism spectrum disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We investigated if alterations in higher-order association areas related to schizophrenia, namely the heteromodal association cortex (HASC), are also observable in subjects with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
  
  
  METHODS
  A group of 18 children with ASD and 18 healthy controls (HC) underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The examination comprised an analysis of group differences in gray matter (GM) volume, surface area (SA) and hemispheric lateralization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Differences in GM volumes in children with ASD and HC were detected in frontal and parietal areas related to the HASC. No HASC structure that showed changes in GM volume exhibited differences in SA. Alterations in hemispheric lateralization between ASD and HC are seen in a frontal area of the HASC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that changes in HASC areas are not restricted to schizophrenia, but extend to other psychiatric disorders, namely ASD. The lacking group differences in SA indicate that changes in GM volume are possibly evoked by other variables than SA in children with ASD.
authors.affiliation: Section Quantitative Imaging-Based Disease Characterization, Department of Radiology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany; Section Disorders of Personality Development, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Poustka
authors.affiliation: Section Quantitative Imaging-Based Disease Characterization, Department of Radiology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vomstein
authors.affiliation: Section Disorders of Personality Development, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haffner
authors.affiliation: Section Disorders of Personality Development, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parzer
authors.affiliation: Section Quantitative Imaging-Based Disease Characterization, Department of Radiology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stieltjes
authors.affiliation: Section Quantitative Imaging-Based Disease Characterization, Department of Radiology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany; Section Disorders of Personality Development, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. Electronic address: romy.henze@med.uni-heidelberg.de.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Henze
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000473:pathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D066128:Gray Matter / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; FreeSurfer; Gray matter volume; Hemispheric lateralization; Heteromodal association cortex