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Abstract Details

Anterior Cingulate Cortex Glutamate Activity in Autism Spectrum Disorder with and without Emotional Dysregulation
Child Neurology and Developmental Neurology
S19 - Child Neurology: Updates in Autism, Migraine, MS, and Stroke (4:47 PM-4:58 PM)
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ASD is difficult to recognize due to complex psychopathology & has a high comorbidity rate, such as with ED. Previous research notes significantly high Glu levels in the ACC of ASD youth, & correlations between Glu levels in the ACC & ED. Glu is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain. Glu, through activity at NMDA receptors, is crucial for neurodevelopmental processes, including neuronal plasticity & higher cognitive functioning. Over-activation of Glu is associated with excitotoxicity & apoptosis.

To operationalize ED, previous work by our group & others documented a profile of marked elevation of three Child Behavior Checklist subscales (Anxiety/Depression, Aggression & Attention [AAA profile]), which is associated with severe morbidity & dysfunction, including suicidality. Using this AAA profile, we compared dACC Glu levels in ASD subjects with & without ED, & Healthy Controls (HCs).

To use Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) to study Glutamate (Glu) activity in dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex (dACC) in youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the context of Emotional Dysregulation (ED).

We measured Glu concentrations in the dACC of 36 HF-ASD adolescents (8-18 years) & age- & sex-matched HCs, using high field proton MRS. HF-ASD subjects were categorized with & without ED, defined by the aggregate score of the AAA profile for ED (N=29). ASD subjects with ED (>180) were separated into those with Severe Emotional Dysregulation (SED) (>210) (N=11) & Deficient Emotional Self-Regulation (DESR) (<210, >180) (N=18).

Glu levels in the dACC of adolescents with HF-ASD were significantly higher than age- & sex-matched HCs (p=0.005). ASD+ED subjects had significantly higher Glu levels than ASD-only adolescents & HCs (p=0.006). ASD severity, measured by the Social Responsiveness Scale, was positively correlated (p=0.057) with dACC Glu levels. ASD+SED adolescents had the strongest positive correlation (p=0.001) between ED severity & dACC Glu levels.

These results highlight the potential for glutamatergic dysregulation in the dACC to serve as a biomarker of ASD & ED in adolescents.

Authors/Disclosures

PRESENTER
No disclosure on file
No disclosure on file
No disclosure on file
No disclosure on file
No disclosure on file
No disclosure on file
No disclosure on file
Joseph Biederman, MD (Mass General Hospital) No disclosure on file