Objective:

To determine whether there were diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) changes [ADC (apparent diffusion coefficient), FA (fractional anisotropy), AD (axial diffusivity) ve RD (radial diffusivity)] between two cerebral hemispheres among children with autism in both right and left brainstems, association, projection, and commissural fibers and to compare these findings with those of normal healthy subjects.

Methods:

Thirty children with autism and 16 age-matched healthy control subjects were included, and their Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and DTI findings were retrospectively evaluated.

Results:

ADC values obtained from the right and left inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus were higher in the autistic subjects than in the control group. FA values obtained from the anterior limb of the right internal capsule, right external capsule, right inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, right corticospinal tractus, right forceps major, and genu of the corpus callosum were lower in the autistic subjects than in the control group. RD values obtained from the right cingulum were higher compared with those from the left cingulum. AD values obtained from the right and left forceps major were lower, and RD values obtained from the left forceps major were higher in the autistic subjects compared with the control group.

Conclusion:

In subjects with autism, DTI parameter changes demonstrated in various brain regions, especially in the limbic system, may be attributed to the social and communication impairment in autism. DTI may be used as an assisting method in autism, which is a heterogeneous disease affecting many locations in the brain.

Keywords: Autism, diffusion tensor imaging, ADC, FA, RD