Neurobiological Correlates of Autism: A Review of Recent Research
- 1 February 2006
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in Child Neuropsychology
- Vol. 12 (1) , 57-79
- https://doi.org/10.1080/09297040500253546
Abstract
This review paper integrates recent structural and functional imaging, postmortem, animal lesion, and neurochemical research about the pathophysiology of autism. An understanding of the neurobiological correlates of autism is becoming increasingly important as more children are diagnosed with the condition and funding for well-targeted interventions increases. Converging evidence suggests that autism involves abnormalities in brain volume, neurotransmitter systems, and neuronal growth. In addition, evidence firmly links autism with abnormalities in the cerebellum, the medial temporal lobe, and the frontal lobe. Potential implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are reviewed.Keywords
This publication has 99 references indexed in Scilit:
- Autism as a disorder of neural information processing: directions for research and targets for therapyMolecular Psychiatry, 2004
- Recent critiques of the UCLA Young Autism ProjectBehavioral Interventions, 2001
- Subtypes of Pervasive Developmental Disorder: Clinical CharacteristicsChild Neuropsychology, 1999
- Neurofunctional mechanisms in autism.Psychological Review, 1996
- Physiological substrates of mammalian monogamy: The prairie vole modelNeuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 1995
- Brainstem involvement in high functioning autistic childrenActa Neurologica Scandinavica, 1993
- Does oxytocin deficiency mediate social deficits in autism?Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 1992
- The Opiate Hypothesis in Autism and Self-InjuryJournal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, 1990
- Hypoplasia of Cerebellar Vermal Lobules VI and VII in AutismNew England Journal of Medicine, 1988
- Studies on 5-hydroxyindole metabolism in autistic and other mentally retarded childrenThe Journal of Pediatrics, 1961