Men and Boys With
Autism have Fewer Neurons Than Counterparts without Autism - Brain
Structure Not the Same in Autistic People
July 23rd 2006
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Brain |
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Researchers say that they have discovered that males with autism have
fewer neurons in the amygdala than their counterparts without the
condition. David Amaral says “"This is the first quantitative evidence
of an abnormal number of neurons in the autistic amygdala and the first
study to use modern unbiased sampling techniques for autism research."
Amaral is the research director of the UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute.
Amaral and graduate student Cynthia Mills Schumann counted and measured
representative samples of neurons in the amygdala of nine postmortem
brains of autistic males. They compared this to the brains of 10
postmortem males who did not have autism. The subjects ranged from 10
to 44 years of age at the time of death.
They used a technique called "unbiased stereological analysis" and a
computer-aided microscope to count the neurons. They concluded that the
autistic subjects had fewer neurons in the amygdale portion of their
brains.
Neurons are responsible for creating and transmitting electrical
impulses through the brain. The amygdala is involved in emotion and
memory. The autistic subjects also had fewer neurons in the lateral
nucleus of the amygdala.
Dr. Thomas R. Insel said “While we have known that autism is a
developmental brain disorder, where, how and when the autistic brain
develops abnormally has been a mystery. This new finding is important
because it demonstrates that the structure of the amygdala is abnormal
in autism. Along with other findings on the abnormal function of the
amygdala, research is beginning to narrow the search for the brain basis
of autism." Insel is a physician and director of the National Institute
of Mental Health.
Now affecting 1 in every 166 children and primarily affecting males,
autism is a lifelong neuron-developmental disorder and is characterized
by social and communication deficits. While autism has clear behavioral
indicators, the neural alterations leading to the deficits have been
difficult to pinpoint. In studies dating back to the mid-1980s,
researchers began focusing on the amygdala because of its importance in
generating appropriate emotional responses and assimilating memories
that are key to social learning. This is an important functions that
are impaired by autism.
The researchers plan to look at other brain regions too. The scientists
admit that the research is in its early stages and there is much more to
be done. The study, published in the July 19 issue of the Journal of
Neuroscience.
Dan Wilson
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