TY - JOUR
T1 - Long-term cognitive and behavioral therapies, combined with augmentative communication, are related to uncinate fasciculus integrity in autism
AU - Pardini, Matteo
AU - Elia, Maurizio
AU - Garaci, Francesco G.
AU - Guida, Silvia
AU - Coniglione, Filadelfo
AU - Krueger, Frank
AU - Benassi, Francesca
AU - Emberti Gialloreti, Leonardo
PY - 2012/4
Y1 - 2012/4
N2 - Recent evidence points to white-matter abnormalities as a key factor in autism physiopathology. Using Diffusion Tensor Imaging, we studied white-matter structural properties in a convenience sample of twenty-two subjects with low-functioning autism exposed to long-term augmentative and alternative communication, combined with sessions of cognitive and behavioral therapy. Uncinate fasciculus structural properties correlated significantly with therapy length and early onset, as well as to clinical outcome, independently from IQ, age or symptoms severity at therapy onset. Moreover, adherence to therapy was linked with better clinical outcome and uncinate fasciculus structural integrity. The results point to the capability of a long-term rehabilitation of subjects with low-functioning autism to produce white-matter structural modifications, which could thus play a role in the rehabilitative outcome.
AB - Recent evidence points to white-matter abnormalities as a key factor in autism physiopathology. Using Diffusion Tensor Imaging, we studied white-matter structural properties in a convenience sample of twenty-two subjects with low-functioning autism exposed to long-term augmentative and alternative communication, combined with sessions of cognitive and behavioral therapy. Uncinate fasciculus structural properties correlated significantly with therapy length and early onset, as well as to clinical outcome, independently from IQ, age or symptoms severity at therapy onset. Moreover, adherence to therapy was linked with better clinical outcome and uncinate fasciculus structural integrity. The results point to the capability of a long-term rehabilitation of subjects with low-functioning autism to produce white-matter structural modifications, which could thus play a role in the rehabilitative outcome.
KW - Autism
KW - Cognitive therapy
KW - Diffusion tensor imaging
KW - Long-term rehabilitation
KW - Uncinate fasciculus
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U2 - 10.1007/s10803-011-1281-2
DO - 10.1007/s10803-011-1281-2
M3 - Article
C2 - 21573693
AN - SCOPUS:84859108582
VL - 42
SP - 585
EP - 592
JO - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
JF - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
SN - 0162-3257
IS - 4
ER -