Does Early Brain Injury Trigger Autism?

When people think of the brain, they think of the cerebrum. The cerebrum, with its two hemispheres and a layer of gray matter, has come to be known as the cerebral cortex. The cerebral cortex is known for higher functioning such as language and cognition. However, according to a paper published in the Neuron, a scientific journal, the cerebellum could play greater roles than that. It is possible that dysfunction within the cerebellum during vital points in time could contribute to autism disorders.

Although the cerebellum only makes up 10 percent of the brain’s mass, more than 50 percent of the neurons are located within the cerebellum.

According to Dr. Samuel Wang, the cerebellum could do more than shape our motor skills. After a thorough review of previous research, Dr. Wang, an associate professor of neuroscience and molecular biology, put forth a hypothesis that the cerebellum helps developing minds to process sensory information and form social connections with others.

Dr. Wang told  The Daily Beast  that some animal and clinical-research suggests evidence for cerebellar involvement with autism. However, the problem is that the evidence does not support the conventional wisdom of the cerebellum controlling movement and sensory processing.

Problems with the cerebellar function, whether caused by brain injury or genetic mechanism, may not be the complete cause of autism, but it could be a significant factor in causing autism. It could be that these factors influence the brain’s formation.

Dr. Samuel Wang and his co-authors suggest that the known links between cerebellar damage and autism could indicate that a healthy neural development in the cerebellum is vital to prevent autism. Wang and his researchers cite a 2007 paper in the Pediatrics journal that found individuals with a cerebellum brain injury were 40 times more likely to score high for autism screening tests.

Sources:
Mail Online
Medical Xpress