Neural correlate of autistic-like traits and a common allele in the oxytocin receptor gene.

Abstract

Sub-clinical autistic-like traits (ALTs) are continuously distributed in the general population and genetically linked to autism. Although identifying the neurogenetic backgrounds of ALTs might enhance our ability to identify those of autism, they are largely unstudied. Here, we have examined the neuroanatomical basis of ALTs and their association with the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) rs2254298A, a known risk allele for autism in Asian populations which has also been implicated in limbic-paralimbic brain structures. First, we extracted a four-factor structure of ALTs, as measured using the Autism-Spectrum Quotient, including 'prosociality', 'communication', 'details/patterns' and 'imagination' in 135 neurotypical adults (79 men, 56 women) to reduce the genetic heterogeneity of ALTs. Then, in the same population, voxel-based morphometry revealed that lower 'prosociality', which indicates strong ALTs, was significantly correlated to smaller regional grey matter volume in the right insula in males. Males with lower 'prosociality' also had less interregional structural coupling between the right insula and the ventral anterior cingulate cortex. Furthermore, males with OXTR rs2254298A had significantly smaller grey matter volume in the right insula. These results show that decreased volume of the insula is a neuroanatomical correlate of ALTs and a potential intermediate phenotype linking ALTs with OXTR in male subjects.

• Authors: Yuki Saito, Motomu Suga, Mamoru Tochigi, Osamu Abe, Noriaki Yahata, Yuki Kawakubo, Xiaoxi Liu, Yoshiya Kawamura, Tsukasa Sasaki, Kiyoto Kasai, Hidenori Yamasue
• Journal: Social cognitive and affective neuroscience (Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci) Vol. 9 Issue 10 Pg. 1443-50 (Oct 2014) ISSN: 1749-5024 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 23946005 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © The Author (2013). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: [email protected].

Chemical References

• OXTR protein, human
• Receptors, Oxytocin

Topics

• Adult
• Autistic Disorder (genetics, pathology)
• Brain Mapping
• Cerebral Cortex (pathology)
• Factor Analysis, Statistical
• Female
• Functional Laterality (genetics)
• Genetic Association Studies
• Genotype
• Humans
• Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Male
• Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide (genetics)
• Receptors, Oxytocin (genetics)
• Sex Characteristics
• Young Adult