Reduced size of corpus callosum in autism.

OBJECTIVE To determine via magnetic resonance imaging if the posterior corpus callosum is reduced in the midline cross-sectional area in autistic patients, consistent with previous reports of parietal lobe abnormalities. DESIGN Case-control study. SETTING Tertiary care facility. PATIENTS AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS Fifty-one autistic patients (45 males and six females; age range, 3 to 42 years), including both mentally retarded and nonretarded patients who met several diagnostic criteria for autism were prospectively selected. Fifty-one age-and sex-matched volunteer normal control subjects were also included. INTERVENTION None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Computer-aided measurement of cross-sectional area, areas of five subregions, and thickness profile. RESULTS Overall size reduction, concentrated in posterior subregions. CONCLUSIONS Evidence is found of a reduced size of the corpus callosum in autistic patients. This reduction is localized to posterior regions, where parietal lobe fibers are known to project. This finding further supports the idea that parietal lobe involvement may be a consistent feature in autism.

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