Abstract #3950
Functional connectivity changes of Dentate Nucleus in Autism Spectrum Disorders: a resting-state fMRI study.
Giusy Olivito 1,2 , Maria Leggio 1,2 , Fiorenzo Laghi 3 , Roberto Baiocco 3 , Anna Maria Tedesco 1 , Silvia Clausi 1 , Chiara Mastropasqua 4 , Marco Molinari 5 , Mara Cercignani 4,6 , and Marco Bozzali 4
1
Ataxia Research Laboratory, IRCCS Santa
Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy, Italy,
2
Department
of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology,
University of Rome "Sapienza", Rome, Italy, Italy,
3
Department
of Developmental and Social Psychology, Faculty of
Medicine and Psychology, University of Rome "Sapienza",
Rome, Italy, Italy,
4
Neuroimaging
Laboratory, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy,
Italy,
5
Neurological
and Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation, Department A,
IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy, Italy,
6
Clinical
Imaging Science Center (CISC), Brighton and Sussex
Medical School, Brighton, Sussex, United Kingdom
The cerebellum has emerged as one of the regions
affected in Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The
cerebro-cerebellar disconnection could in part underlie
autistic symptoms, mainly involving Theory of Mind
(ToM) processes. In the present study we demonstrate the
usefulness of resting-state fMRI in detecting changes in
functional connectivity (FC) between the cerebellar
dentate nucleus, the sole cerebellar output channel, and
cerebral cortex regions by comparing ASD patients and
tipically developing subjects. Using a seed-based
approach, we found altered FC in ASDs patients between
DN and regions of the Default Mode Network, known to be
related to social deficits seen in ASD.
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