New imaging technique sdiscovers gray matter changes in the brain in autistic children

Ashtari and others at theof the children'sHospitalin Philadelphia, USA, used a new imaging technique tothe brains of children with autism, and found that gray matter decreased in the brain regions responsible for learning, as well as in the areas responsible for socializingThe findings were presented at the 2007 annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North AmericaThe study included 13 cases of high-functioning autism or Asperger's syndrome
children in men (IQ-70) and 12 adolescents with healthyThe average age of the subjects was about 11The results showed an increase in theof top leaf gray matter in children with autismcontaining mirror neuronal systemsMirror neurons are cells that are active in the brain when an individual performs an activity, experiences an emotion or feeling, and when an individual sees other individuals experiencing the same activity, emotion, or feelingThe study also found that the amount of gray matter in the left top region of the brain in the control group was associated with high IQ, but in children with autism, the increase in gray matter was not related to IQ because of its abnormal functionThe study also found that the reduction in right amygdala gray matter in children with autism was associated with the severity of social mobility disorders Children with reduced gray matter in this region had lower scores on social interaction tests The study suggests that social dysfunction in children with autism may be caused by abnormal functioning of the mirror neuronal system