As part of an autopsy research project, the brains of four autistic subjects were examined and compared with those of three comparison subjects without CNS pathology and one with phenytoin toxicity. The cerebellum was selected for initial investigation because pathognomonic symptoms and neurophysiological measures suggest that pathology may exist in the cerebellar-vestibular axis in certain patients. Total Purkinje cell counts were significantly lower in the cerebellar hemisphere and vermis of each autistic subject than in the comparison subjects.

Lower Purkinje cell counts in the cerebella of four autistic subjects: initial findings of the UCLA-NSAC Autopsy Research Report.

The ontogeny of brain lateralization for speech and nonspeech stimuli.

BASED on extensive clinical observations, we have suggested that children whose conditions are variously diagnosed as early infantile autism, atypical ego development, symbiotic psychosis, and certain cases of childhood schizophrenia suffer from a unitary disease. 1 Their symptoms can be grouped in five subclusters involving disturbances of (1) perception, (2) motility, (3) developmental rate, (4) relationships to people and objects, and (5) language. It appears that the disturbances of perception, motility, and developmental rate are expressive of a primary neuropathophysiologic dysfunction 2,3 which leads to disturbances of relating and language. The more severe and prolonged the neuropathophysiologic process, the more pervasive is the resultant ego pathology. In seeking evidence to support these hypotheses, we have compared autistic children and age-matched controls on certain measures of neurophysiologic function and integration. The results of these studies have been reported in detail elsewhere. 4-7 They indicate that normals and autistics differ in

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/PSYCH/articlepdf/490361/archpsyc_23_6_009.pdf

Increased blood serotonin and platelets in early infantile autism.

The authors review the clinical features and behavioral characteristics of autism; differential diagnosis of the syndrome; clinical, neurophysiological, and biochemical research; and its medical management and treatment. They conclude that autism is a behaviorally defined, specific syndrome that is manifested at birth or shortly thereafter. Its symptoms are expressive of an underlying neuropathophysiological process that affects developmental rate; modulation of perception; language, cognitive, and intellectual development; and the ability to relate. The long-term prognosis is guarded; almost all patients manifest severe symptomatology throughout their lives. Further basic research into the neuropathophysiological process underlying the syndrome is necessary in order to reach the ultimate goal of developing etiologically specific treatment programs.

Y.H Lee

Papers

The auditory evoked response in normal and autistic children during sleep.

The auditory evoked response in babies during REM sleep