1043-3155 Pediatr Neurol Briefs pedneurbriefs Pediatr Neurol Briefs Pediatric Neurology Briefs Pediatr Neurol Briefs 2166-6482 1043-3155 2166-3155 Pediatric Neurology Briefs Publishers Chicago, IL, USA PNB-5-50-a 10.15844/pedneurbriefs-5-7-2 Behavior and Learning Disorders Neurology Pediatrics Nervous System Diseases Child Development Brain Diseases Neurosurgery Child Infant Organic Brain Dysfunction and Autism http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0173-7931 Millichap J. Gordon MD 1 2 * Division of Neurology, Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL Correspondence: Dr. J. Gordon Millichap, E-mail: jgmillichap@northwestern.edu 07 1991 01 07 2016 5 7 50 50 Copyright: © 1991 The Author(s) 1991 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Neuropsychiatric assessment of children with autism: a population-based study

A population-based neurobiological study of 35 children with autistic disorder (AD) and 17 with autistic-like conditions (ALC) is reported from the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Goteborg, Sweden.

 Autistic Disorder Moebius Syndrome Brain Damage

A population-based neurobiological study of 35 children with autistic disorder (AD) and 17 with autistic-like conditions (ALC) is reported from the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Goteborg, Sweden. Major indications of brain damage or dysfunction were found in 90%. Etiological groups included Moebius syndrome (9%), fragile X syndrome (6%), chromosomal anomalies (6%), neurocutaneous disorders (6%), congenital hydrocephalus (3%), Rett syndrome (3%), Laurence-Moon-Biedl syndrome (3%), severe perinatal distress (9%), and epilepsy or severe EEG pathology (20%). Genetic factors were implicated in 9% with fathers and a brother with Asperger’s syndrome. The EEG was abnormal in 50% and 18 (40%) had epileptiform discharges, maximal in the temporal lobes. CAT scan abnormalities in 25% included dilated ventricles, porencephaly, and general atrophy. BAERs were abnormal in 33%. [1]

COMMENT. Multiple biological etiologies for autism and autistic-like disorders are suggested by this comprehensive study. Despite the extra effort and patience involved, the pediatric neurologist should not dismiss the child with autistic symptoms to the care of the psychiatrist without first attempting a full neurologic evaluation including EEG and CT or MRI.

 Steffenburg S Neuropsychiatric assessment of children with autism: a population-based study Dev Med Child Neurol 1991 Jun 33 6 495 511 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1991.tb14915.x 1864476