Laust Vind Knudsen

University of Southern Denmark, Denmark

Title: Increased Dopamine D2 Receptor Availability and Glucose metabolism in Subcortical Regions in Autism

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Biography

Laust Vind Knudsen postdoctoral researcher at the Research Unit of Psychiatry, Odense University Hospital, and the University of Southern Denmark. He completed PhD in 2025, focusing on brain metabolism and dopaminergic alterations in autism using multimodal neuroimaging. His research aims to improve our understanding of the neurobiology of autism and ADHD through the integration of different neuroimaging methods such as PET, MRI, fMRI, and EEG. During his PhD, he led the largest dual-tracer PET/MRI study in autistic adults, demonstrating alterations in dopamine D2 receptor availability and glucose metabolism in key subcortical brain regions. Building on these findings, His currently lead research investigating dopamine signaling, sensory processing, and ADHD co-occurrence in autism. He collaborate with national and international researchers to develop translational neuroimaging approaches that may contribute to the identification of biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets in neurodevelopmental disorders.

Abstract

Objective:
Dopaminergic dysfunction and altered brain metabolism have been implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet direct in vivo evidence remains limited. The only FDA-approved pharmacological treatments for autism-associated irritability, risperidone and aripiprazole, mainly exert their therapeutic effects through dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) modulation. We therefore investigated D2R availability and glucose metabolism in autistic adults. 

Scope:
This study aimed to characterize subcortical dopaminergic and metabolic alterations in ASD and evaluate their association with clinical symptoms and brain network function. 

Methods:
Thirty autistic adults and thirty neurotypicals matched for age, sex, body mass index, and IQ underwent dual-tracer positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Dopamine D2 receptor availability was assessed using [¹¹C]raclopride PET, glucose metabolism using [¹?F]FDG PET, and resting-state functional connectivity using functional MRI. Correlations with clinical measures of social and communication difficulties were examined. Results: Autistic participants demonstrated significantly increased D2R availability in the thalamus compared with neurotypicals. Among males, additional increases were observed in the nucleus accumbens and putamen. Glucose metabolism was elevated in the thalamus and globus pallidus in autistic individuals, a pattern evident in both autistic males and females. Higher glucose metabolism in these regions was associated with greater social and communication difficulties. Resting-state analyses revealed diagnosis- and sex-dependent alterations in the relationship between thalamic D2R availability and functional connectivity. D2R availability was also positively associated with regional glucose metabolism. 

Conclusion:
This study provides direct in vivo evidence of increased subcortical dopamine D2 receptor availability and glucose metabolism in autistic adults. The close relationship between dopaminergic signaling, metabolic activity, and functional connectivity suggests that altered dopamine mechanisms may contribute to ASD neurobiology. These findings highlight dopaminergic pathways as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets in autism.