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Long-term Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies, Combined with Augmentative Communication, are Related to Uncinate Fasciculus Integrity in Autism

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Abstract

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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosciences, Ophthalmology and Genetics, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy

    Matteo Pardini & Silvia Guida

  2. Magnetic Resonance Research Centre on Nervous System Diseases, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy

    Matteo Pardini

  3. Centre for Communication and Neurorehabilitation Research-CNAPP, Rome, Italy

    Matteo Pardini, Francesca Benassi & Leonardo Emberti Gialloreti

  4. Unit of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiopathology, Scientific Institutes for Research, Hospitalization and Health Care (IRCCS) Oasi Maria SS, Troina, EN, Italy

    Maurizio Elia

  5. Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Rome Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy

    Francesco G. Garaci

  6. Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy

    Filadelfo Coniglione

  7. Department of Molecular Neuroscience, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA

    Frank Krueger

  8. Cognitive Neuroscience Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke–National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Frank Krueger

  9. Department of Public Health and Cell Biology, Rome Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy

    Leonardo Emberti Gialloreti

Authors
  1. Matteo Pardini
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  2. Maurizio Elia
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  3. Francesco G. Garaci
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  4. Silvia Guida
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  5. Filadelfo Coniglione
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  6. Frank Krueger
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  7. Francesca Benassi
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  8. Leonardo Emberti Gialloreti
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Correspondence to Leonardo Emberti Gialloreti.

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Pardini, M., Elia, M., Garaci, F.G. et al. Long-term Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies, Combined with Augmentative Communication, are Related to Uncinate Fasciculus Integrity in Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 42, 585–592 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-011-1281-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-011-1281-2

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