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Related Concept Videos

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Autism Spectrum Disorder

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Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition marked by persistent deficits in social communication and interaction alongside restrictive and repetitive behaviors or interests. ASD is sometimes accompanied by intellectual impairment.
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The cerebellum, while traditionally associated with motor control, also plays a crucial role in memory, particularly in procedural memory, which involves learning motor tasks that become automatic through repetition. For example, studies have shown that when the cerebellum is damaged, individuals or animals lose the ability to learn conditioned motor responses, such as the conditioned eye-blink response in classical conditioning experiments with rabbits. This study demonstrates the...
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The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
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The reticular formation is a complex network of gray and white matter located within the brainstem extending from the medulla to the midbrain.
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Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex01:24

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The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobes is crucial for interpreting sensory data such as touch, temperature, and proprioception. The somatosensory cortex, situated in the parietal lobes, plays a vital role in interpreting sensory information like touch, temperature, and proprioception—awareness of body position. This specialized brain region features an organized structure wherein neurons at the top primarily process sensations originating from the lower body. In contrast, those at...
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Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
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Editorial: The role of the brainstem and cerebellum in autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders (DD).

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Autism Pathogenesis: The Superior Colliculus.

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Probing the Brain in Autism Using fMRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging
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The "Primitive Brain Dysfunction" Theory of Autism: The Superior Colliculus Role.

Rubin Jure1

  • 1Centro Privado de Neurología y Neuropsicología Infanto Juvenil WERNICKE, Córdoba, Argentina.

Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience
|June 17, 2022
PubMed
Summary

Disruptions in the superior colliculus, a key brainstem visual center, may explain autism pathogenesis. Understanding these visual processing deficits offers insights into normal brain development and autism complexity.

Keywords:
autism pathogenesisautism spectrum disordersautism theoriesbrainstemearly brain developmentneurodevelopmental disorderssuperior colliculus (SC)

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology
  • Autism Research

Background:

  • Autism pathogenesis remains complex, potentially linked to early visual processing deficits.
  • The superior colliculus, the primary brainstem visual center, is crucial for attention, motor responses, and integrating sensory information.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore how disruptions in superior colliculus and brainstem function may explain aspects of autism.
  • To bridge basic brain science and clinical autism studies by examining collicular function.

Main Methods:

  • Review of cognitive, etiologic, and pathogenic aspects of autism.
  • Analysis of the functional anatomy and role of the superior colliculus in vertebrates.

Main Results:

  • The superior colliculus, vital for visual attention and sensory-motor integration, influences social-communicative development.
  • Its conserved organization supports early survival behaviors, including face and movement detection.

Conclusions:

  • Dysfunction in the superior colliculus and brainstem may underlie complex autism enigmas.
  • Further research integrating basic neuroscience and clinical findings is needed to explore this unexplored area.