Abstract
Objective
To identify regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) differences between individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and healthy controls.
Method
Healthy controls [n = 81, Mage = 41.9, 53.0% female] and persons diagnosed by psychiatric examination with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) [n = 62, Mage = 29.8, 75.8% male] were selected from a deidentified adult clinical outpatient database. Those with comorbid diagnoses were included. Significant differences (alpha = .001) were found for gender [χ(2) = 13.4] and age [t(141) = −4.8] between groups. Multiple ANCOVA controlled for gender and age on outcomes of rCBF across 17 brain regions from Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) were analyzed.
Results
Significant rCBF differences were noted in the cerebellum [left:F(1,143) = 9.43, p = .003; right: F(1,143) = 14.2, p < .001] and basal ganglia [left:F(1,143) = 8.2,p = .005; right:F(1,143) = 10.3, p = .002]. Group means comparisons indicated higher perfusion in the cerebellum and lower perfusion in the basal ganglia in the group with ASD. No significant differences were found bilaterally in limbic system, motor sensory strip, vermis, or occipital, parietal, frontal, or temporal lobes.
Conclusion
Results indicated that individuals diagnosed with ASD have diminished rCBF in the basal ganglia and increased rCBF in the cerebellum. Previous research supports these conclusions, as the basal ganglia is linked with repetitive and/or restricted motor behaviors, and the cerebellum aids in understanding gross motor and coordination in ASD, as well as social interactions, and language and communication. By understanding the underlying mechanisms of ASD, interventions focused on sensory-motor abilities, such as sensory enrichment (Woo and Leon, 2013), can show a decrease in motor behaviors and improve cognition. Future studies should control for potential comorbidities, the severity of ASD, and medication usage.
Social Perception Deficits in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
