Whole-brain gray matter maturation trajectories associated with autistic traits from adolescence to early adulthood
Authors: Gros Guillaume , Miranda Marcos Ruben , Latrille Anthony , Saitovitch Ana , Gollier-Briant Fanny , Fossati Philippe , Schmidt Liane , Banaschewski Tobias , Barker Gareth J. , Bokde Arun L. W. , Desrivières Sylvane , Grigis Antoine , Garavan Hugh , Gowland Penny , Heinz Andreas , Brühl Rüdiger , Martinot Jean-Luc , Paillère Martinot Marie-Laure , Artiges Eric , Nees Frauke , Papadopoulos Orfanos Dimitri , Poustka Luise , Hohmann Sarah , Holz Nathalie , Fröhner Juliane H. , Smolka Michael N. , Vaidya Nilakshi , Walter Henrik , Whelan Robert , Schumann Gunter , Lemaitre Hervé , Vulser Hélène ,   for the IMAGEN Consortium, Artiges Eric , Aydin Semiha , Bach Christine , Banaschewski Tobias , Barbot Alexis , Barker Gareth , Bokde Arun , Bordas Nadège , Bricaud Zuleima , Bromberg Uli , Bruehl Ruediger , Büchel Christian , Cattrell Anna , Conrod Patricia , Desrivieres Sylvane , Fadai Tahmine , Filippi Irina , Flor Herta , Frouin Vincent , Galinowski André , Gallinat Jürgen , Garavan Hugh , Gollier-Briant Fanny , Gourlan Chantal , Gowland Penny , Guldner Stella , Heinz Andreas , Ittermann Bernd , Jia Tianye , Lemaitre Hervé , Martinot Jean-Luc , Massicotte Jessica , Miranda Ruben , Müller Kathrin , Nees Frauke , Nymberg Charlotte , Martinot Marie Laure Paillère , Paus Tomas , Pausova Zdenka , Poline Jean-Baptiste , Poustka Luise , Reuter Jan , Rogers John , Ruggeri Barbara , Sarvasmaa Anna S , Schmäl Christine , Schumann Gunter , Struve Maren , Smolka Michael , Sommer Wolfgang , Vulser Hélène , Walter Henrik , Whelan Robert 
Published: October 2023

A growing number of evidence supports a continued distribution of autistic traits in the general population. However, brain maturation trajectories of autistic traits as well as the influence of sex on these trajectories remain largely unknown. We investigated the association of autistic traits in the general population, with longitudinal gray matter (GM) maturation trajectories during the critical period of adolescence. We assessed 709 community-based adolescents (54.7% women) at age 14 and 22. After testing the effect of sex, we used whole-brain voxel-based morphometry to measure longitudinal GM volumes changes associated with autistic traits measured by the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) total and sub-scores. In women, we observed that the SRS was associated with slower GM volume decrease globally and in the left parahippocampus and middle temporal gyrus. The social communication sub-score correlated with slower GM volume decrease in the left parahippocampal, superior temporal gyrus, and pallidum; and the social cognition sub-score correlated with slower GM volume decrease in the left middle temporal gyrus, the right ventromedial prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortex. No longitudinal association was found in men. Autistic traits in young women were found to be associated with specific brain trajectories in regions of the social brain and the reward circuit known to be involved in Autism Spectrum Disorder. These findings support both the hypothesis of an earlier GM maturation associated with autistic traits in adolescence and of protective mechanisms in women. They advocate for further studies on brain trajectories associated with autistic traits in women.