Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Menks, Willeke Martine, MSc
• Furger, Reto, BSc
• Lenz, Claudia, PhD
• Fehlbaum, Lynn Valérie, MSc
• Stadler, Christina, PhD
• Raschle, Nora Maria, PhD

Titel

Microstructural White Matter Alterations in the Corpus Callosum of Girls With Conduct Disorder

Ist Teil von

• Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2017-03, Vol.56 (3), p.258-265.e1

Ort / Verlag

United States: Elsevier Inc

Erscheinungsjahr

2017

Quelle

Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts (ASSIA)

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Abstract Objective Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies in adolescent conduct disorder (CD) have demonstrated white matter alterations of tracts connecting functionally distinct fronto-limbic regions, but only in boys or mixed-gender samples. So far, no study has investigated white matter integrity in girls with CD on a whole-brain level. Therefore, our aim was to investigate white matter alterations in adolescent girls with CD. Method We collected high resolution DTI data from 24 girls with CD and 20 typically developing control girls using a 3T MR imaging system. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were analyzed for whole brain as well as a priori defined regions of interest, while controlling for age and intelligence, using a voxel-based analysis and an age-appropriate customized template. Results Whole-brain findings revealed white matter alterations (i.e. increased FA) in girls with CD bilaterally within the body of the corpus callosum, expanding towards the right cingulum and left corona radiata. The FA and MD results in a priori defined regions of interest were more widespread and included changes in the cingulum, corona radiata, fornix and uncinate fasciculus. These results were not driven by age, intelligence, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder comorbidity. Conclusion This paper provides the first evidence of white matter alterations in female adolescents with CD as indicated through white matter reductions in callosal tracts. This finding enhances current knowledge about the neuropathological basis of female CD. An increased understanding of gender-specific neuronal characteristics in CD may influence diagnosis, early detection, and successful intervention strategies.