Anterior insular cortex: linking intestinal pathology and brain function in autism-spectrum subgroups

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T Binstock1

  • 1Institute for Molecular Introspections, Estes Park, Colorado 80517, USA. aspergerian@yahoo.com

Medical Hypotheses
|March 29, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Treatments targeting gut health may improve attention and language in some children with autism spectrum disorder. This may involve shared neural pathways connecting the gut to the brain

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Gastroenterology
  • Developmental Pediatrics

Background:

  • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by communication deficits.
  • Intestinal pathology is frequently observed in individuals with ASD.
  • Anecdotal evidence suggests improvements in attention and language with gut-focused interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore potential neuroanatomic mechanisms linking intestinal pathology to attention and language in autism spectrum disorder.
  • To investigate the role of the anterior insular cortex (aIC) in the gut-brain axis relevant to ASD.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on neuroanatomy, autism, and the gut-brain axis.
  • Hypothesizing potential pathways involving the anterior insular cortex (aIC).
  • Considering the role of neurotrophic viruses like herpes simplex virus (HSV) and enteric nervous system activity.

Main Results:

  • The anterior insular cortex (aIC) is a potential shared neuroanatomic pathway.
  • Herpes simplex virus (HSV) migration to the insular cortex is a possible factor.
  • Synaptic exhaustion in the aIC due to enteric nervous system dysfunction is another proposed mechanism.

Conclusions:

  • Shared neuroanatomic pathways, potentially involving the aIC, may link intestinal pathology to attention and language deficits in some children with ASD.
  • Further research is warranted to investigate the roles of viral infections and enteric nervous system activity in ASD pathogenesis and treatment.

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