Delayed maturation of the frontal cortex in childhood autism.
OBJECTIVE
The authors investigated the metabolic maturation of the frontal cortex in pre-school autistic children.


METHODS
Regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) in five children with primary autism diagnosed according to the DSM-III-R criteria was studied longitudinally. Regional CBF in each of the autistic children was measured with single photon emission computed tomography twice during their development: at the age of 3-4 years and 3 years later. At each stage, the autistic children were compared to an age-matched comparison group of five nonautistic children with normal development.


RESULTS
A transient frontal hypoperfusion was found in the autistic children at ages 3-4 years; this corresponded to the pattern of perfusion observed in much younger normal children. By the ages of 6-7, the autistic children's frontal perfusion had attained normal values.


CONCLUSIONS
Since CBF patterns in children are related to maturational changes in brain function, these results indicate a delayed frontal maturation in childhood autism. Such a delayed brain maturational process is consistent with the clinical data and cognitive performance of autistic children.
Service Hospitalier Frédéric Joliot, Tours, France.
M
M
Zilbovicius
B
B
Garreau
Y
Y
Samson
P
P
Remy
C
C
Barthélémy
A
A
Syrota
G
G
Lelord
D000293:Adolescent; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon