What is the biology of Asperger’s Syndrome?
The neuropsychological basis of the autism spectrum, which includes Asperger’s, continues to be explored. With the advent of newer imaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), researchers are beginning to map the complex circuitry that may underlie these disorders. Scientists know relatively little about the neurological abnormalities that are correlated with Asperger’s. However, a number of abnormalities in the structure and function of the brain have been specifically linked to Asperger’s Syndrome in various studies. Traditionally, the role of the brain’s left hemisphere has been emphasized in classic autism, whereas Asperger’s has been hypothesized to be a right hemisphere disorder. One study suggests that the developmental period in which dominance shifts from the right to left hemisphere might determine whether autism or Asperger’s emerges. There is also some evidence of frontal lobe dysfunction in autism spectrum disorders, which is consistent with obs
