Abstract #2252

Increased glutamate + glutamine correlates with altered tactile perception and sensory responsivity in children with autism spectrum disorder

Georg Oeltzschner^1,2, Jason He³, Mark Mikkelsen^1,2, Alyssa DeRonda⁴, Deana Crocetti⁴, Stewart H. Mostofsky^4,5,6, Richard A.E. Edden^1,2, and Nicolaas A.J. Puts³

¹Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States, ²F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States, ³Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom, ⁴Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States, ⁵Department of Psychiatry, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States, ⁶Department of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States

Abnormal perception of sensory input is among the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Despite evidence for altered excitation-inhibition balance contributing to states of hyper- or hypo-excitability in ASD, findings have been mixed. In this study, we used magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in a large sample of children with ASD and typically developing children to measure levels of GABA and glutamate+glutamine (Glx). Elevated sensorimotor Glx levels in ASD correlated with vibrotactile frequency discrimination thresholds and caregiver-reported hyper- and hyporesponsivity to sensory stimuli, symptoms that are central to ASD. These results provide support for the excitation-inhibition imbalance theory of ASD.

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