Regional brain volume correlations in disorders of neurodevelopment: can we date the onset of pathology?

Abstract

Neurodevelopmental disorders have abnormalities across brain networks. Reciprocal afferentation of brain regions established in utero gives mutually trophic support, thus their volumes should positively correlate. We predicted children with autism or ADHD would have disrupted network connectivity reflected by less positive correlation coefficients between regions of grey matter abnormality. This was true for autism, but despite regional grey matter reductions, children with ADHD retained a pattern of positive frontostriatal intercorrelations similar to controls. Therefore initial neuropathology in autism may arise earlier in fetal life than ADHD. The implications for assessing aetiological impact of postnatal events upon each condition are discussed.