Differential olfactory identification in children with autism and Asperger's disorder: a comparative and longitudinal study.
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.
May
Tamara
T
Centre for Developmental Psychiatry and Psychology, School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
Brewer
Warrick J
WJ
Rinehart
Nicole J
NJ
Enticott
Peter G
PG
Brereton
Avril V
AV
Tonge
Bruce J
BJ
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*