title: Differential olfactory identification in children with autism and Asperger's disorder: a comparative and longitudinal study.
abstract: Key theories of autism implicate orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) compromise, while olfactory identification (OI) deficits are associated with OFC dysfunction. This study aimed to complete a 5-year follow-up of children with high-functioning autism (HFA) who previously lacked the normal age-OI association; and compare unirhinal-OI in children with HFA, Asperger's disorder (ASP), and controls. While both HFA and controls had improved birhinal-OI at follow-up, reduced OI in some HFA participants suggested OFC deterioration and heterogeneous OFC development. Unirhinal-OI was impaired in HFA but not ASP relative to controls, suggesting orbitofrontal compromise in HFA but integrity in ASP. Differing IQ-OI relationships existed between HFA and ASP. Findings support the hypothesis of separate neurobiological underpinnings in ASP and HFA, specifically differential orbitofrontal functioning.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Developmental Psychiatry and Psychology, School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: May
authors.forename: Warrick J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Brewer
authors.forename: Nicole J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Rinehart
authors.forename: Peter G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Enticott
authors.forename: Avril V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Brereton
authors.forename: Bruce J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Tonge
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D020817:Asperger Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D055696:Olfactory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*