[Cerebral glucose metabolism in autistic children. Study and positron emission tomography]

Brain glucose metabolism was measured in 18 autistic children, using high resolution positron emission tomography (PET Scan), with fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) as tracer. Measurements were performed on an ECAT III tomograph (CTI). Global brain glucose utilization in the autistic population was slightly more elevated than in young adult volunteers, particularly in frontal cortical regions, an observation previously reported for adult autists (Rumsey et al., 1985). However, mean brain glucose metabolism did not differ significantly from that of control children. Regional metabolic maps were also normal, although there was evidence for heterogeneities, particularly at the level of prefrontal and parieto-occipital association areas: 6 children showed a relative hyperfrontality whilst hypofrontality was found in 2 cases. These data suggest that PET might be useful for a better definition of subsets of autistic syndrome in children.