Objectives: The verbal abilities of autistic children differ from those of typically developing ones and they also differ among autistic children themselves. Neuroanatomical changes and an abnormal organization of functional networks are expected to accompany such a neurodevelopmental disorder. The aim of this study was to delineate the brain neuroanatomical changes in Egyptian children with autism and to compare them with previous studies in order to add more insight into the global brain imaging deviations linked to autism. Patients and Methods: Twenty-five autistic children and 25 typically developing children underwent MRI. Further analysis was performed using surface-based morphometry to obtain cortical thickness, brain volume, and cortical complexity. Results: MRI analysis results revealed significantly greater cortical thickness, cortical complexity, and gray matter volume in the autistic as compared to the control group. On the other hand, the white matter volume was significantly smaller. Conclusion: These findings generally align with findings in previous studies, except for occasional differences.

Keywords:
Autism, MRI, Language, Surface-based morphometry
1.
Bonilha L, Cendes F, Rorden C, Eckert M, Dalgalarrondo P, Li LM, Steiner CE: Gray and white matter imbalance - typical structural abnormality underlying classic autism? Brain Dev 2008;30:396-401.
2.
Parks LK, Hill DE, Thoma RJ, Euler MJ, Lewine JD, Yeo RA: Neural correlates of communication skill and symptom severity in autism: a voxel-based morphometry study. Res Autism Spectr Disord 2009;3:444-454.
3.
Raznahan A, Toro R, Proitsi P, Powell J, Paus T, Bolton P, Murphy D: A functional polymorphism of the brain derived neurotrophic factor gene and cortical anatomy in autism spectrum disorder. J Neurodev Disord 2009;1:215-223.
4.
Kumar A, Sundaram S, Sivaswamy L, Behen M, Makki M, Ager J, Janisse J, Chugani H, Chugani D: Alterations in frontal lobe tracts and corpus callosum in young children with autism spectrum disorder. Cereb Cortex 2010;20:2103-2113.
5.
Bakhtiari R, Zürcher NR, Rogier O, Russo B, Hippolyte L, Granziera C, Araabi BN, Nili Ahmadabadi M, Hadjikhani N: Differences in white matter reflect atypical developmental trajectory in autism: a tract-based spatial statistics study. Neuroimage Clin 2012;1:48-56.
6.
Ke X, Tang T, Hong S, Hang Y, Zou B, Li H, Zhou Z, Ruan Z, Lu Z, Tao G, Liu Y: White matter impairments in autism, evidence from voxel-based morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging. Brain Res 2009;1265:171-177.
7.
Langen M, Leemans A, Johnston P, Ecker C, Daly E, Murphy CM, Dell'acqua F, Durston S; AIMS Consortium, Murphy DG: Fronto-striatal circuitry and inhibitory control in autism: findings from diffusion tensor imaging tractography. Cortex 2012;48:183-193.
8.
Rudie JD, Brown JA, Beck-Pancer D, Hernandez LM, Dennis EL, Thompson PM, Bookheimer SY, Dapretto M: Altered functional and structural brain network organization in autism. Neuroimage Clin 2012;2:79-94.
9.
Ecker C, Suckling J, Deoni SC, Lombardo MV, Bullmore ET, Baron-Cohen S, Catani M, Jezzard P, Barnes A, Bailey AJ, Williams SC, Murphy DG; MRC AIMS Consortium: Brain anatomy and its relationship to behavior in adults with autism spectrum disorder: a multicenter magnetic resonance imaging study. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2012;69:195-209.
10.
Lahiri DK, Sokol DK, Erickson C, Ray B, Ho CY, Maloney B: Autism as early neurodevelopmental disorder: evidence for an sAPPα-mediated anabolic pathway. Front Cell Neurosci 2013;7:94.
11.
Aylward EH, Minshew NJ, Field K, Sparks BF, Singh N: Effects of age on brain volume and head circumference in autism. Neurology 2002;59:175-183.
12.
McAlonan GM, Cheung V, Cheung C, Suckling J, Lam GY, Tai KS, Yip L, Murphy DG, Chua SE: Mapping the brain in autism. A voxel-based MRI study of volumetric differences and intercorrelations in autism. Brain 2005;128:268-276.
13.
Bigler ED, Abildskov TJ, Petrie JA, Johnson M, Lange N, Chipman J, Lu J, McMahon W, Lainhart JE: Volumetric and voxel-based morphometry findings in autism subjects with and without macrocephaly. Dev Neuropsychol 2010;35:278-295.
14.
Waiter GD, Williams JH, Murray AD, Gilchrist A, Perrett DI, Whiten A: A voxel-based investigation of brain structure in male adolescents with autistic spectrum disorder. Neuroimage 2004;22:619-625.
15.
Boddaert N, Chabane N, Gervais H, Good CD, Bourgeois M, Plumet MH, Barthélémy C, Mouren MC, Artiges E, Samson Y, Brunelle F, Frackowiak RS, Zilbovicius M: Superior temporal sulcus anatomical abnormalities in childhood autism: a voxel-based morphometry MRI study. Neuroimage 2004;23:364-369.
16.
Joseph RM, Fricker Z, Fenoglio A, Lindgren KA, Knaus TA, Tager-Flusberg H: Structural asymmetries of language-related gray and white matter and their relationship to language function in young children with ASD. Brain Imaging Behav 2014;8:60-72.
17.
Filipek P: Medical aspects of autism; in Volkmar F, Paul R, Klin A, Cohen D (eds): Handbook of autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders. Hoboken, Wiley, Inc, 2005, pp 534-582.
18.
Volden J, Smith IM, Szatmari P, Bryson S, Fombonne E, Mirenda P, Roberts W, Vaillancourt T, Waddell C, Zwaigenbaum L, Georgiades S, Duku E, Thompson A: Using the preschool language scale, fourth edition to characterize language in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders. Am J Speech Lang Pathol 2011;20:200-208.
19.
American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, ed 4. Washington, American Psychiatric Association, 1994, pp 77-78.
20.
Lord C, Rutter M, Le Couteur A: Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised: a revised version of a diagnostic interview for caregivers of individuals with possible pervasive developmental disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 1994;24:659-685.
21.
Schopler E, Reichler J, Renner B: The Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) for Diagnostic Screening and Classification of Autism. Los Angeles, Western Psychological Services, 1988.
22.
Melika L: Stanford Binet Intelligence Scale (4th Arabic Version), ed 2. Cairo, Victor Kiorlos Publications, 1998.
23.
Kotby MN, El-Assal N: Results of language intervention program in delayed language mentally retarded children. Proc XXIII World Congr Int Assoc Logop, Cairo, August 6-10, 1995.
24.
Snijder Oomen N: Non-Verbal Intelligence Test of Snijder Oomen, ed 2. Groningen, Wolters, 1979.
25.
Kotby MN, Khairy A, Barakah M, Rifaie N, El-Shobary A: Language testing of Arabic speaking children. Proc XXIII World Congr Int Assoc Logop, Cairo, August 6-10, 1995.
26.
Evans A: The NIH MRI study of normal brain development. Neuroimage 2006;30:184-202.
27.
Sled JG, Zijdenbos AP, Evans AC: A nonparametric method for automatic correction of intensity nonuniformity in MRI data. IEEE Trans Med Imaging 1998;17:87-97.
28.
Zijdenbos AP, Forghani R, Evans AC: Automatic ‘pipeline' analysis of 3-D MRI data for clinical trials: application to multiple sclerosis. IEEE Trans Med Imaging 2002;21:1280-1291.
29.
Kim JS, Singh V, Lee JK, Lerch J, Ad-Dab'bagh Y, MacDonald D, Lee JM, Kim SI, Evans AC: Automated 3-D extraction and evaluation of the inner and outer cortical surfaces using a Laplacian map and partial volume effect classification. Neuroimage 2005;27:210-221.
30.
Lerch JP, Evans AC: Cortical thickness analysis examined through power analysis and a population simulation. Neuroimage 2005;24:163-173.
31.
Van Essen DC: A tension-based theory of morphogenesis and compact wiring in the central nervous system. Nature 1997;385:313-318.
32.
Im K, Lee JM, Lyttelton O, Kim SH, Evans AC, Kim SI: Brain size and cortical structure in the adult human brain. Cereb Cortex 2008;18:2181-2191.
33.
Hardan A, Muddasani S, Vemulapalli M, Matcheri S, Keshavan M, Minshew N: An MRI study of increased cortical thickness in autism. Am J Psychiatry 2006;163:1290-1292.
34.
Mak-Fan K, Taylor M, Roberts W, Lerch J: Measures of cortical grey matter structure and development in children with autism spectrum disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2011;7:246-251.
35.
Scheel C, Rotarska-Jagiela A, Schilbach L, Lehnhardt F, Krug B, Vogeley K, Tepest R: Imaging derived cortical thickness reduction in high-functioning autism: key regions and temporal slope. Neuroimage 2011;58:391-400.
36.
Doyle-Thomas KA, Duerden EG, Taylor MJ, Lerch JP, Soorya LV, Wang AT, Fan J, Hollander E, Anagnostou E: Effects of age and symptomatology on cortical thickness in autism spectrum disorders. Res Autism Spectr Disord 2013;7:141-150.
37.
Tsai NP, Wilkerson JR, Guo W, Maksimova MA, DeMartino GN, Cowan CW, Huber KM: Multiple autism-linked genes mediate synapse elimination via proteasomal degradation of a synaptic scaffold PSD-95. Cell 2012;151:1581-1594.
38.
Durand CM, Betancur C, Boeckers TM, Bockmann J, Chaste P, Fauchereau F, Nygren G, Rastam M, Gillberg IC, Anckarsäter H, Sponheim E, Goubran-Botros H, Delorme R, Chabane N, Mouren-Simeoni MC, de Mas P, Bieth E, Rogé B, Héron D, Burglen L, Gillberg C, Leboyer M, Bourgeron T: Mutations in the gene encoding the synaptic scaffolding protein SHANK3 are associated with autism spectrum disorders. Nat Genet 2007;39:25-27.
39.
Sarachana T, Zhou R, Chen G, Manji H, Hu V: Investigation of post-transcriptional gene regulatory networks associated with autism spectrum disorders by microRNA expression profiling of lymphoblastoid cell lines. Genome Med 2010;2:23-27.
40.
Cauda F, Geda E, Sacco K, D'Agata F, Duca S, Geminiani G, Keller R: Grey matter abnormality in autism spectrum disorder: an activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis study. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2011;82:945-950.
41.
Spencer MD, Moorhead TW, Lymer GK, Job DE, Muir WJ, Hoare P, Owens DG, Lawrie SM, Johnstone EC: Structural correlates of intellectual impairment and autistic features in adolescents. Neuroimage 2006;33:1136-1144.
42.
Hendry J, DeVito T, Gelman N, Densmore M, Rajakumar N, Pavlosky W, Williamson PC, Thompson PM, Drost DJ, Nicolson R: White matter abnormalities in autism detected through transverse relaxation time imaging. Neuroimage 2006;29:1049-1057.
43.
Mengotti P, D'Agostini S, Terlevic R, De Colle C, Biasizzo E, Londero D, Ferro A, Rambaldelli G, Balestrieri M, Zanini S, Fabbro F, Molteni M, Brambilla P: Altered white matter integrity and development in children with autism: a combined voxel-based morphometry and diffusion imaging study. Brain Res Bull 2011;84:189-195.
44.
Gibbard CR, Ren J, Seunarine KK, Clayden JD, Skuse DH, Clark CA: White matter microstructure correlates with autism trait severity in a combined clinical-control sample of high-functioning adults. Neuroimage Clin 2013;3:106-114.
45.
Schaer M, Ottet MC, Scariati E, Dukes D, Franchini M, Eliez S, Glaser B: Decreased frontal gyrification correlates with altered connectivity in children with autism. Front Hum Neurosci 2013;7:750.
46.
Brun C, Nicolson R, Leporé N, Chou Y, Vidal C, DeVito TJ, Drost DJ, Williamson PC, Rajakumar N, Toga AW, Thompson PM: Mapping brain abnormalities in boys with autism. Hum Brain Mapp 2009;30:3887-3900.
47.
Fields R: White matter in learning, cognition and psychiatric disorders. Trends Neurosci 2008;31:361-370.
48.
Herbert M, Ziegler DA, Deutsch CK, O'Brien LM, Lange N, Bakardjiev A, Hodgson J, Adrien KT, Steele S, Makris N, Kennedy D, Harris GJ, Caviness VS Jr: Dissociations of cerebral cortex, subcortical and cerebral white matter volumes in autistic boys. Brain 2003;126:1182-1192.
49.
De Smet H, Baillieux H, De Deyn P, Mariën P, Paquier P: The cerebellum and language: the story so far. Folia Phoniatr Logop 2007;59:165-170.
50.
Awate S, Win L, Yushkevich P, Schultz R, Gee J: 3D cerebral cortical morphometry in autism: increased folding in children and adolescents in frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes. Med Image Comput Assist Interv 2008;11:559-567.
© 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel
2015
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.