Polygenic scores for autism are associated with neurite density in adults and children from the general population.

ABSTRACT: Genetic variants linked to autism are thought to change cognition and behaviour by altering the structure and function of the brain. Although a substantial body of literature has identified structural brain differences in autism, it is unknown whether autism-associated common genetic variants are linked to changes in cortical macro- and micro-structure. We investigated this using neuroimaging and genetic data from adults (UK Biobank, N = 31,748) and children (ABCD, N = 4,928). Using polygenic scores and genetic correlations we observe a robust negative association between common variants for autism and a magnetic resonance imaging derived phenotype for neurite density (intracellular volume fraction) in the general population. This result is consistent across both children and adults, in bo

SUBMITTER: Gu Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11030520 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature