Abstract Details

Title Analyzing White Matter Integrity of the Basolateral Amygdala and Subgenual Anterior Cingulate Cortex and Its Association with Depression in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder Using the Shannon Entropy Technique

Topic Aging, Dementia, and Behavioral Neurology

Presentation(s) P1 - Poster Session 1 (8:00 AM-9:00 AM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 9-002

Objective To evaluate Shannon entropy (SE) and fractional anisotropy (FA) as measures of white matter (WM) integrity in adults with autism (ASD) and their relationship with symptom severity and depression.

Background Individuals with ASD have an increased risk for depression. Neuroimaging studies indicate involvement of the basolateral amygdala (BLA), subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC), and associated WM tracts in depression.

Design/Methods DTI data was obtained from ABIDE II. 29 males with ASD (mean age=37.5 years; SD=16.1 years) and 29 male controls (mean age = 39.6 years; SD=15.1 years) were divided into younger (16-25 years) and older (40-64 years) groups due to original study recruitment. Whole-brain and region of interest SE and FA were calculated using FSL v.6 and Tract-Based Spatial Statistics. Main effects of age and diagnosis on SE and FA, correlations with depression and ASD symptoms, and contribution of SE and FA in predicting depression were examined.

Results

SE was higher in the right [F(1,55)=13.084, p<.001; η_p²=.192] and left [F(1,55)=15.811, p<.001; η_p²=.223] sgACC in younger individuals. Older individuals had higher whole-brain FA [F(1,55)=4.199, p=.045; η_p²=.071]. SE correlated with ASD symptoms in the right amygdala [p=.034; r(55)= .244]; FA correlated with depression in the right [p=.033; r(56) = -.244] and left [p=.021; r(56) = -.268] amygdala and right BLA [p=.032; r(56) = -.245]. Post-hoc analyses identified higher FA in ASD in the left [F(1,55)=17.903, p<.001; η_p²=.246] and right [F(1,54)= 12.073, p=.001; η_p²=.183] posterior limbs of the internal capsule (LIC) and the left anterior LIC [F(1,55)=15.027, p<.001; η_p²=.215]. Regression analyses yielded no significant results.

Conclusions Age had a main effect on SE and FA in the sgACC and diagnosis had a main effect on FA in the IC. SE correlations with ASD symptomatology in the right amygdala may provide evidence for axonal remodeling and FA in the bilateral amygdala may serve as a biomarker for depression.

Authors/Disclosures
Nishant Satapathy PRESENTER	Mr. Satapathy has nothing to disclose.
Maurizio Bergamino	No disclosure on file
Opal Ousley (Emory SOM/Emory Autism Center)	No disclosure on file

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