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Asperger's syndrome and cortical neuropathology
Manuel F Casanova1, Daniel P Buxhoeveden, Andrew E Switala
1Department of Psychiatry, Medical College of Georgia, USA. casanova@np2.mcg.edu
Journal of Child Neurology
|April 16, 2002
Summary
Neuropathologic examination of two patients with Asperger's syndrome revealed smaller, more dispersed minicolumns in specific brain areas. These minicolumnar changes may link to receptive field abnormalities in Asperger's syndrome.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neuropathology
- Developmental Disorders
Background:
- Asperger's syndrome involves impaired social interaction with normal intelligence and language.
- The neuropathologic basis of Asperger's syndrome is largely unknown.
- Existing literature offers limited information on the underlying neuropathology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neuropathologic underpinnings of Asperger's syndrome.
- To report on the neuropathologic findings in two cases of Asperger's syndrome.
- To explore potential clinicopathologic correlates for Asperger's syndrome.
Main Methods:
- Case report of two patients diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome.
- Neuropathologic examination of brain tissue.
- Computerized image analysis of minicolumnar organization in specific brain areas (9, 21, 22).
Main Results:
- Neuropathologic examination showed no signs of degenerative changes or gliosis.
- Computerized image analysis revealed significant abnormalities in minicolumnar organization (P = .032).
- Minicolumns were found to be smaller and their cells more dispersed than normal.
Conclusions:
- The study identified specific neuropathologic changes in Asperger's syndrome.
- These minicolumnar abnormalities suggest a potential link to receptive field deficits.
- The findings support a shared neuropathology between Asperger's syndrome and autism, challenging the uniqueness of previous observations.