Characterization of the Pathological and Biochemical Markers that Correlate to the Clinical Features of Autism: The Neuropathological Markers of Abnormal Brain Development and Aging in Autism
Abstract
The aim of this study was to characterize the type, topography and severity of developmental changes in the brain of people diagnosed with autism. To detect global pattern of brain pathology, the entire brain hemisphere was embedded in celloidin or polyethylene glycol and cut into hemispheric sections. Examination of CV stained serial sections revealed a broad spectrum of brain structure changes (defects of neurogenesis, migration, gyrification and dysplasia) affecting both gray and white matter in the brain and cerebellum of autistic subjects including: subependymal nodular dysplasia and thickening of subependymal layer; polymicrogyria; cerebellar hypoplasia and floculonodular dysplasia; broad spectrum of dysplastic changes in the neo- and archicortex, cornu Ammonis, dentate gyrus and amygdala; and heterotopias in the white matter in cerebellum, brain hemisphere and hippocampus. The study of 22 brains of subjects with idiopathic autism revealed changes in approximately 90% of cases and in all four examined brains of subjects with autism/Ch15Dupl. The type of detected changes indicates that all of these changes reflect fetal developmental alterations. Presence of these changes in autistic subjects, regardless of age, indicates that they are permanent alterations of brain structure and may contribute to the core clinical phenotype of autism.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 21, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA540024
Entities
People
- Thomas Wisniewski
Organizations
- Research Foundation For Mental Hygiene