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Autism spectrum disorders and neuropathology of the cerebellum
#MMPMID26594141
Hampson DR
; Blatt GJ
Front Neurosci
2015[]; 9
(?): 420
PMID26594141
show ga
The cerebellum contains the largest number of neurons and synapses of any
structure in the central nervous system. The concept that the cerebellum is
solely involved in fine motor function has become outdated; substantial evidence
has accumulated linking the cerebellum with higher cognitive functions including
language. Cerebellar deficits have been implicated in autism for more than two
decades. The computational power of the cerebellum is essential for many, if not
most of the processes that are perturbed in autism including language and
communication, social interactions, stereotyped behavior, motor activity and
motor coordination, and higher cognitive functions. The link between autism and
cerebellar dysfunction should not be surprising to those who study its cellular,
physiological, and functional properties. Postmortem studies have revealed
neuropathological abnormalities in cerebellar cellular architecture while studies
on mouse lines with cell loss or mutations in single genes restricted to
cerebellar Purkinje cells have also strongly implicated this brain structure in
contributing to the autistic phenotype. This connection has been further
substantiated by studies investigating brain damage in humans restricted to the
cerebellum. In this review, we summarize advances in research on idiopathic
autism and three genetic forms of autism that highlight the key roles that the
cerebellum plays in this spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders.
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