What kind of abnormality in the amygdala is linked to autism in children?
Imaging study finds evidence of brain abnormalities in toddlers with autism May 4th, 2009 Toddlers with autism appear more likely to have an enlarged amygdala, a brain area associated with numerous functions, including the processing of faces and emotion, according to a report in the May issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. In addition, this brain abnormality appears to be associated with the ability to share attention with others, a fundamental ability thought to predict later social and language function in children with autism “Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder likely involving multiple brain systems,” the authors write as background information in the article. “Converging evidence from magnetic resonance imaging, head circumference and postmortem studies suggests that brain volume enlargement is a characteristic feature of autism, with its onset most likely occurring in the latter part of the first year of life.” Based both on it
Young children with autism appear more likely to have enlarged amygdala — the part of the brain associated with registering faces and with expressing key emotions, according to a study. Described in the May issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, the study compared the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results of 50 autistic children and 33 control children. The children’s brain scans were taken at age two and again at age four. Compared to children from a control group who did not have autism, the autistic children were more likely to have enlarged amygdala. The researchers said after observing the children that the enlarged amygdala appeared to be consistent with their inability to follow another person’s gaze, and with the inability to share attention with others — fundamental behaviors thought to predict later social and language function in children with autism. Sources: http
