Kun-Hsien Chou1, I-Yun Chen2,
Ya-Wei Cheng2, Jean Decety3, Yang-Teng Fan2,
Ching-Po Lin2,4
1Institute of Biomedical Engineering,
National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; 2Institute of
Neuroscience, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; 3Departments
of Psychology and Psychiatry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United
States; 4Institute of Biomedical imaging and Radiological
Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
Autism
spectrum disorders is a common brain developmental disorder that occurs in
one in 150 children. It is characterized by early onset of impaired social
reciprocity and communication difficulties, along with restricted interest
and stereotyped behavior. Several brain morphometry studies suggested that
cascade failure of neurodevelopment is the most likely the core deficit of
ASD. But whether aberrant WM development persisted into later childhood and
adolescence was a crucial issue to probe. The aim of the present study was to
examine WM microstructure using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and to
investigate its relations to age in adolescents with ASD.