Atypical Axonal Integrity in Young Adults with High-Functioning Autism

Mariana Lazar¹, Laura Miles¹, Jeffrey Donaldson¹

Atypical white matter (WM) microstructure has been proposed as one of the mechanisms of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). However, the underlying pathophysiology remains poorly understood. In this study we used to Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging and a two-compartment WM diffusion model, which provides metrics that differentially relate to axonal density and myelination, to more precisely characterize WM pathology in a group of young adults with High-Functional ASD. Our data indicates decreased axonal density in the ASD compared to a control typically-developing group, but no significant differences in myelination. Future work will examine WM properties in younger populations.