Structural white matter alterations in male adults with high functioning autism spectrum disorder and concurrent depressive symptoms; a diffusion tensor imaging study.

•We explored the association between brain microstructural integrity and depressive symptoms in male adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder.•A diffuse trend of decreased white matter integrity (less FA and higher MD –as the measure of white matter integrity–) couold be seen associated with depressive symptoms in patients with autism spectrum disorder.•The white matter constructs associated with depressive symptoms were mainly subcortical fiber bundles, especially bilateral ALIC and divergences (corona radiata).