Catherine Lebel1, Carmen Rasmussen2,
Katy Wyper1, Gail Andrew3, Christian Beaulieu1
1Biomedical Engineering, University of
Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; 2Pediatrics, University of
Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; 3Glenrose Rehabilitation
Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Diffusion
tensor imaging (DTI) studies of reading consistently highlight left
temporal-parietal white matter. We used DTI to correlate fractional
anisotropy (FA) with reading ability in 40 subjects with fetal alcohol
spectrum disorder (FASD) aged 5-19 years and 40 healthy controls. The control
group had three significantly correlated clusters in the left temporal-parietal
area and one in the genu (all positive), in good agreement with previous
findings. The FASD group had 9 clusters with significant correlations (3
negative, 6 positive). These included 3 left temporal-parietal clusters,
showing consistent involvement in this area, but also demonstrating more
widespread correlations than controls.