title: Neurofunctional mechanisms in autism.
abstract: Behavioral impairments in autism are theorized to result from abnormal neuronal organization in brain development generating 4 systemically related neurofunctional impairments: (a) canalesthesia, wherein abnormal hippocampal system function "canalizes" sensory records, disrupting integration of information; (b) impaired assignment of the affective significance of stimuli, wherein abnormal amygdaloid system function disrupts affect association; (c) asociality, wherein impaired oxytocin system function flattens social bonding and affiliativeness; and (d) extended selective attention, wherein abnormal organization of temporal and parietal polysensory regions yields aberrant overprocessing of primary representations. This model proposes that complex human behaviors may be guided by multiple overlapping neural mechanisms.
authors: Trenton State College, New Jersey 08650-4700, USA. lwaterho@trenton.edu
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Waterhouse
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Fein
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Modahl
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008959:Models, Neurological; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000502:physiology; D012919:Social Behavior
chemical_list: D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents