Abstract
Specific biological markers for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have not yet been established. Functional studies have shown
abnormalities in the anatomo-functional connectivity of the limbic-striatal “social” brain. This study aimed to investigate
regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) at rest. Thirteen patients with ASD of normal intelligence and ten IQ-, sex- and age-matched
healthy controls (HC) underwent PET/CT using [1-11C]butanol, a perfusion tracer. As compared to HC, ASD showed significant CBF increases in the right parahippocampal, posterior
cingulate, primary visual and temporal cortex, putamen, caudatus, substantia nigra and cerebellum. No statistically significant
correlation between CBF and IQ was found. The limbic, posterior associative and cerebellar cortices showed increased blood
flow in ASD, confirming previous findings about the neurobiology of ASD.
abnormalities in the anatomo-functional connectivity of the limbic-striatal “social” brain. This study aimed to investigate
regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) at rest. Thirteen patients with ASD of normal intelligence and ten IQ-, sex- and age-matched
healthy controls (HC) underwent PET/CT using [1-11C]butanol, a perfusion tracer. As compared to HC, ASD showed significant CBF increases in the right parahippocampal, posterior
cingulate, primary visual and temporal cortex, putamen, caudatus, substantia nigra and cerebellum. No statistically significant
correlation between CBF and IQ was found. The limbic, posterior associative and cerebellar cortices showed increased blood
flow in ASD, confirming previous findings about the neurobiology of ASD.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-6
- DOI 10.1007/s10803-011-1240-y
- Authors
- Marco Pagani, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Irina Manouilenko, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Sharon Stone-Elander, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Richard Odh, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Dario Salmaso, Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, CNR, Via Palestro 32, 00185 Rome, Padua, Italy
- Robert Hatherly, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Fredrik Brolin, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Hans Jacobsson, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Stig A. Larsson, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Susanne Bejerot, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Journal Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
- Online ISSN 1573-3432
- Print ISSN 0162-3257