Department of Pediatrics, University Hospitals of the Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Neuroradiology. 2010 Jan;52(1):3-14. doi: 10.1007/s00234-009-0583-y. Epub 2009 Dec 24.
Neuroimaging studies done by means of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have provided important insights into the neurobiological basis for autism. The aim of this article is to review the current state of knowledge regarding brain abnormalities in autism. Results of structural MRI studies dealing with total brain volume, the volume of the cerebellum, caudate nucleus, thalamus, amygdala and the area of the corpus callosum are summarised. In the past 5 years also new MRI applications as functional MRI and diffusion tensor imaging brought considerable new insights in the pathophysiological mechanisms of autism. Dysfunctional activation in key areas of verbal and non-verbal communication, social interaction, and executive functions are revised. Finally, we also discuss white matter alterations in important communication pathways in the brain of autistic patients.
磁共振成像（MRI）的神经影像学研究为自闭症的神经生物学基础提供了重要的见解。本文旨在综述自闭症患者大脑异常的现有知识状况。总结了关于全脑体积、小脑体积、尾状核、丘脑、杏仁核和胼胝体面积的结构性 MRI 研究结果。在过去的 5 年中，新的 MRI 应用，如功能 MRI 和弥散张量成像，为自闭症的病理生理机制带来了相当多的新见解。语言和非语言交流、社会互动和执行功能的关键区域的功能失调激活得到了修正。最后，我们还讨论了自闭症患者大脑中重要的通讯途径的白质改变。
