I posted this in another thread, but I feel it's worth its own thread; this is from 2009:
Quote:
BACKGROUND: Whether autism spectrum maps onto a spectrum of brain abnormalities and whether Asperger's syndrome (ASP) is distinct from high-functioning autism (HFA) are debated. White-matter maldevelopment is associated with autism and disconnectivity theories of autism are compelling. However, it is unknown whether children with ASP and HFA have distinct white-matter abnormalities.MethodVoxel-based morphometry mapped white-matter volumes across the whole brain in 91 children. Thirty-six had autism spectrum disorder. A history of delay in phrase speech defined half with HFA; those without delay formed the ASP group. The rest were typically developing children, balanced for age, IQ, gender, maternal language and ethnicity. White-matter volumes in HFA and ASP were compared and each contrasted with controls. RESULTS: White-matter volumes around the basal ganglia were higher in the HFA group than ASP and higher in both autism groups than controls. Compared with controls, children with HFA had less frontal and corpus callosal white matter in the left hemisphere; those with ASP had less frontal and corpus callosal white matter in the right hemisphere with more white matter in the left parietal lobe. CONCLUSIONS: HFA involved mainly left hemisphere white-matter systems; ASP affected predominantly right hemisphere white-matter systems. The impact of HFA on basal ganglia white matter was greater than ASP. This implies that aetiological factors and management options for autism spectrum disorders may be distinct. History of language acquisition is a potentially valuable marker to refine our search for causes and treatments in autism spectrum.
As we probably all don't know, white-matter is the part of the brain that allows communication between the various areas of such. Obviously, it's pointing out the areas that involve language development [among other things] as lacking in white-matter compared to AS and normal controls with HFA. It'd be interesting to see if the differences are still there in adulthood, even after gains in verbal ability are made.
I'm wondering if HFA has less right hemisphere deficits than AS, and I think it does as of the article.
Whilst they're similar in symptoms in many ways, so are "bad" cold viruses and influenza viruses, even though the underlying cause is different and the symptoms aren't exactly the same, and the severity is a little worst in the latter.
05 May 2009, 11:26 pm
