In vivo ultra-high field anatomical evidence of cortical abnormalities in ASD

Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA

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Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) affect more than 1% of the population, yet currently there are no biomarkers for this condition, which relies principally on behavioral observation for its diagnosis. ASD is a neurodevelopmental disorder, however how it specifically affects brain development is still not completely understood. In this project, we propose to use cutting-edge multi-parametric ultra-high field (7T) imaging techniques to visualize in vivo cortical and subcortical abnormalities that have been described post- mortem. Our preliminary data indicate that we can observe imaging correlates of the histological changes that have been reported in ASD. If confirmed, our results will for the first time provide a way to visualize and quantify, at the individual level, objective evidence of neurodevelopmental abnormalities in ASD brains. In addition, this will provide crucial information regarding brain areas affected in ASD, and in the long term will allow us to see the commonalities and differences between individuals with autism, we well as a better understanding of the pathophysiology of this devastating condition.