MRI Surface-Based Brain Morphometry in Egyptian Autistic and Typically Developing Children

Abstract

Objectives: The verbal abilities of autistic children differ from those of typically developing ones and they also differ among autistic children themselves. Neuroanatomical changes and an abnormal organization of functional networks are expected to accompany such a neurodevelopmental disorder. The aim of this study was to delineate the brain neuroanatomical changes in Egyptian children with autism and to compare them with previous studies in order to add more insight into the global brain imaging deviations linked to autism. Patients and Methods: Twenty-five autistic children and 25 typically developing children underwent MRI. Further analysis was performed using surface-based morphometry to obtain cortical thickness, brain volume, and cortical complexity. Results: MRI analysis results revealed significantly greater cortical thickness, cortical complexity, and gray matter volume in the autistic as compared to the control group. On the other hand, the white matter volume was significantly smaller. Conclusion: These findings generally align with findings in previous studies, except for occasional differences.

Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Serotonin Levels in Autistic Children: Do They Differ in Obesity?

“…Changes in the neuroanatomical features of individuals with ASD (either obese or non-obese) have been suggested to be involved in ASD pathogenesis. Children with ASD manifested change in the volume of hypothalamus, amygdala, fornix, hippocampus, and aberrant connections between these areas and other brain areas [4], [5], [6]. Therefore, neurotransmitters responsible for brain functioning in these areas (e.g., brain derived neurotrophic factor [BDNF] and serotonin) were suspected to be altered in the brain and body of such individuals.…”