Title
Cerebellum, language, and cognition in autism and specific language impairment
UMMS Affiliation
Department of Psychiatry
Date
3-20-2010
Document Type
Article
Medical Subject Headings
Adolescent; Analysis of Variance; Autistic Disorder; Cerebellar Cortex; Cerebellum; Child; *Cognition; Functional Laterality; Humans; *Language; Language Disorders; Language Tests; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Neuropsychological Tests; Psychomotor Performance
Disciplines
Psychiatry
Abstract
We performed cerebellum segmentation and parcellation on magnetic resonance images from right-handed boys, aged 6-13 years, including 22 boys with autism [16 with language impairment (ALI)], 9 boys with Specific Language Impairment (SLI), and 11 normal controls. Language-impaired groups had reversed asymmetry relative to unimpaired groups in posterior-lateral cerebellar lobule VIIIA (right side larger in unimpaired groups, left side larger in ALI and SLI), contralateral to previous findings in inferior frontal cortex language areas. Lobule VIIA Crus I was smaller in SLI than in ALI. Vermis volume, particularly anterior I-V, was decreased in language-impaired groups. Language performance test scores correlated with lobule VIIIA asymmetry and with anterior vermis volume. These findings suggest ALI and SLI subjects show abnormalities in neurodevelopment of fronto-corticocerebellar circuits that manage motor control and the processing of language, cognition, working memory, and attention.
Rights and Permissions
Citation: J Autism Dev Disord. 2010 Mar;40(3):300-16. Link to article on publisher's site
