Altered cerebellar white matter in sensory processing dysfunction is associated with impaired multisensory integration and attention

Sensory processing dysfunction (SPD) is characterized by a behaviorally
observed difference in the response to sensory information from the
environment. While the cerebellum is involved in normal sensory
processing, it has not yet been examined in SPD. Diffusion tensor imaging
scans of children with SPD (n=42) and typically developing controls (TDC;
n=39) were compared for fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD),
radial diffusivity (RD) and axial diffusivity (AD) across the following
cerebellar tracts: the middle cerebellar peduncles (MCP), superior
cerebellar peduncles (SCP), and cerebral peduncles (CP). Compared to TDC,
children with SPD show reduced microstructural integrity of the SCP and
MCP, which correlates with abnormal auditory behavior, multisensory
integration, and attention, but not tactile behavior or direct measures of
auditory discrimination. In contradistinction, decreased CP
microstructural integrity in SPD correlates with abnormal tactile and
auditory behavior and direct measures of auditory discrimination, but not
multisensory integration or attention. Hence, altered cerebellar white
matter organization is associated with complex sensory behavior and
attention in SPD, which prompts further consideration of diagnostic
measures and treatments to better serve affected individuals.