Axonal deficits in young adults with High Functioning Autism and their impact on processing speed.

ABSTRACT: Microstructural white matter deficits in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have been suggested by both histological findings and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) studies, which show reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) and increased mean diffusivity (MD). However, imaging reports are generally not consistent across studies and the underlying physiological causes of the reported differences in FA and MD remain poorly understood. In this study, we sought to further characterize white matter deficits in ASD by employing an advanced diffusion imaging method, the Diffusional Kurtosis Imaging (DKI), and a two-compartment diffusion model of white matter. This model differentially describes intra- and extra-axonal white matter compartments using Axonal Water Fraction (faxon ) a measure reflecting axonal

SUBMITTER: Lazar M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3950557 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature