Insidermedicine In Depth - November 9, 2011

Children with autism have a greater number of neurons in the prefrontal cortex of their brains, the part of the brain responsible for advanced cognition and intellect, according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Children with autism frequently have difficulty with:

• Pretend play

• Social interactions

• Verbal and nonverbal communication

Researchers from the NIH-UCSD School of Medicine Autism Center of Excellence in La Jolla had expert anatomists examine the brains of 7 children with autism and 6 children without the disorder. The children were aged 2 to 16, and all had died between 2000 and 2006. The anatomists focused on the prefrontal cortex of the brain, particularly two regions known as the l subdivisions.

The children with autism had 67% more neurons, or brain cells, than the children without autism in the prefrontal cortex of their brains. This included 79% more neurons in the dorsolateral region and 29% more in the mesial region. In addition, the autistic children's brain weight for their age was an average of 17.6% greater than normal. In comparison, the average weight of the brains of children without autism was only 0.2% greater than normal. The autistic children had brains that were both greater in weight and greater in the total number of neurons present in the prefrontal cortex, compared with the children without autism.

Today's research suggests that the abnormalities associated with autism begin very early in development, as many processes involved determining bran development begin long before a child is born. This knowledge can help researchers pinpoint exactly how and why autism occurs.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• autism
• neurons brain