The cingulum and cingulate U-fibers in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders

The cingulum is the major fiber system connecting the cingulate and surrounding medial cortex and medial temporal lobe internally and with other brain areas. It is important for social and emotional functions related to core symptomatology in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). While the cingulum has been examined in autism, the extensive system of cingulate U-fibers has not been studied. Using probabilistic tractography, we investigated white matter fibers of the cingulate cortex by distinguishing its deep intra-cingulate bundle (cingulum proper) and short rostral anterior, caudal anterior, posterior, and isthmus cingulate U-fibers in 61 ASD and 54 typically developing children and adolescents. Increased mean and radial diffusivity of the left cingulum proper was observed in the ASD group, replicating previous findings on the cingulum. For cingulate U-fibers, an atypical age-related decline in right posterior cingulate U-fiber volume was found in the ASD group, which appeared to be driven by an abnormally large volume in younger children. History of repetitive and restrictive behavior was negatively associated with right caudal anterior cingulate U-fiber volume, linking cingulate motor areas with neighboring gyri. Aberrant development in U-fiber volume of the right posterior cingulate gyrus may underlie functional abnormalities found in this region, such as in the default mode network.