title: Macrocephaly, corpus callosum morphology, and autism.
abstract: Although the cause of autism is undetermined, a general consensus has been that some type of early aberrant neural development underlies the disorder. Given the increased prevalence of macrocephaly in autism, one theory of abnormal neural development implicates early brain growth resulting in larger brain and head size in autism. Surface area measurements of the midsagittal section of the corpus callosum can be used as an index of neural development and white-matter integrity because the corpus callosum is the major white-matter structure that interconnects the two cerebral hemispheres. The purpose of this study was to obtain corpus callosum surface area, shape, and contour in a sample of non-mentally retarded autistic subjects with macrocephaly (n = 12) and compare them with those of matched (n = 8), typically developing control subjects with benign macrocephaly. No significant differences were found in surface area, shape, or contour between groups, nor did corpus callosum surface area relate to measures of IQ or picture vocabulary. These findings suggest no unique difference in overall regional corpus callosum surface area in autism with macrocephaly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA.
authors.forename: Sara A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: Erin D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Bigler
authors.forename: Howard B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Cleavinger
authors.forename: David F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Tate
authors.forename: Jamie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sayer
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: McMahon
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozonoff
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Janet E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lainhart
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D001927:Brain Diseases; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006257:Head / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male