RESUMO
Previous neuroradiologic studies reported a high incidence of abnormalities in low-functioning autistic children. In this population, it is difficult to know which abnormality depends on autism itself and which is related to intellectual disability associated with autism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of neuroradiologic abnormalities in low-functioning autistic children compared to Intellectual Quotient and age-matched nonsyndromic children, using the same set of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences. MRI was rated as abnormal in 44% of autistic and 54% of children with intellectual disability. The main results were mega cisterna magna in autism and hypoplastic corpus callosum in intellectual disability. These abnormalities are morphologically visible signs of altered brain development. These findings, more frequent than expected, are not specific to the 2 conditions. Although MRI cannot be considered mandatory, it allows an in-depth clinical assessment in nonsyndromic intellectual-disabled and autistic children.
Assuntos
Transtorno do Espectro Autista/patologia , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/psicologia , Encéfalo/patologia , Deficiência Intelectual/patologia , Adolescente , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/complicações , Transtorno do Espectro Autista/epidemiologia , Encéfalo/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Feminino , Humanos , Lactente , Deficiência Intelectual/complicações , Deficiência Intelectual/epidemiologia , Inteligência , Testes de Inteligência , Imageamento por Ressonância Magnética , Masculino , PrevalênciaRESUMO
The data on the rate of brain imaging abnormalities in autistic spectrum disorders are still inconsistent. A recent study on patients with high-functioning autism found that approximately 90% of children had normal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans whereas an unexpected high rate of MRI abnormalities was reported in 77 nonsyndromic autistic children with or without intellectual disability. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of neuroradiologic findings in low-functioning autistic children compared to controls matched for age. Minor brain abnormalities were found in 44% of patients and 22% of controls. Our main result is the high rate of mega cisterna magna in autistic patients. High rate of minor neuroradiologic abnormalities in low-functioning autistic patients could contribute to the research about the various endophenotypes and complete the clinical assessment of children with autistic spectrum disorder and intellectual disability.