Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-mp689 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T22:52:21.670Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Biological and Neuropsychological Approaches to Childhood Autism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Margot R. Prior
Margot R. Prior*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

There is growing conviction that childhood autism is a biologically based disorder. The evidence that has accrued in a variety of areas pertaining to biological abnormality in autism suggests that, with the possible exception of genetic factors, very few data are available that illuminate the autistic disorder specifically. Neurological models which might be useful in guiding further research are discussed and reasons for the slow progress in this important aspect of the study of autism are identified.

Type
Review Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 150 , Issue 1 , January 1987 , pp. 8 - 17
Copyright
Copyright © 1987 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

August, C. & Lockhart, L. (1964) Familial autism and the fragile-X chromosome. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 14. 197–204.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
August, C. & Lockhart, & Lockhart, L., Stewart, M. & Tsai, L. (1981) The incidence of cognitive disabilities in the siblings of autistic children. British Journal of Psychiatry, 138, 416–422.Google Scholar
Boucher, J. & Warrington, E. K. (1976) Memory deficits in early infantile autism: some similarities to the Amnesic Syndrome. British Journal of Psychology, 67, 73–87.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campbell, M., Rosenbloom, S., Perry, R., George, A., Kricheff, I., Anderson, L., Small, A. & Jennings, S. (1982) Computerized axial tomography in young autistic children. American Journal of Psychiatry, 139, 510–512.Google ScholarPubMed
Chess, S. (1971) Autism in children with congenital rubella. Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 1, 33–47.Google Scholar
Chess, S. (1977) Follow-up report on autism in congenital rubella. Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 7, 68–81.Google Scholar
Colby, K. M. & Parkinson, C. (1977) Handedness in autistic children. Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 7, 3–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Courchesne, E., Kilman, B., Galambos, R. & Lincoln, A. (1984) Autism: processing of novel information assessed by event-related brain potentials. Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, 59, 238–248.Google Scholar
Damasio, A. R. & Maurer, R. G. (1978) A neurological model for childhood autism. Archives of Neurology, 35, 777–786.Google Scholar
Damasio, H., Maurer, R. G., Damasio, A. R. A Chui, H. C. (1980) Computerized tomographic scan findings in patients with autistic behaviour. Archives of Neurology, 37, 504–510.Google Scholar
Dawson, G. (1983) Lateralized brain dysfunction in autism: Evidence from the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Battery. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 13, 269–286.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dawson, G., Warrenburg, S. A Fuller, P. (1982) Cerebral lateralization in individuals diagnosed as autistic in early childhood. Brain and Language, 15, 353–368.Google Scholar
Dawson, G., Finley, C., Phillips, S. A Galfert, L. (1986) Hemispheric specialization and the language abilities of autistic children. (In press).Google Scholar
DeLono, G. R. (1978) A neuropsychologic interpretation of infantile autism. In Autism: A Reappraisal of Concepts and Treatment (eds M. Rutter and E. Schopler). New York: Plenum.Google Scholar
DeMyer, M. (1976) Motor, perceptual-motor and intellectual disabilities of autistic children. In Early Childhood Autism (ed. L. Wing). 2nd ed., Oxford: Pergamon Press.Google Scholar
DeMyer, M., Barton, S. & Norton, J. A. (1972) A comparison of adaptive, verbal and motor profiles of psychotic and nonpsychotic subnormal children. Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 2, 359–377.Google Scholar
DeMyer, M., Barton, , DeMyer, W., Norton, J., Allen, J. A, Steele, R. (1973) Prognosis in autism: a follow-up study. Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 3, 199–246.Google Scholar
DeMyer, M., Hinotgen, J. N. & Jackson, R. K. (1981) Infantile autism reviewed: a decade of research. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 7, 388–451.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Derryberry, D. & Rothbart, M. (1983) Emotion, attention and temperament. In Emotion, Cognition and Behavior (eds C. Izard, J. Kagan and R. Zajonc) New York: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Deslauriers, A. & Carlson, C. (1969) Your Child is Asleep. Illinois: Dorsey.Google Scholar
Fein, D., Skoff, B. & Mirsky, A. (1981) Clinical correlates of brainstem dysfunction in autistic children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 11, 303–315.Google Scholar
Fein, D., Skoff, B., Humes, M., Kaplan, E., Lucci, D. & Waterhouse, L. (1984a) The question of left hemisphere dysfunction in infantile autism. Psychological Bulletin, 95, 258–281.Google Scholar
Skoff, B., Waterhouse, L., Luca, D., Snyder, D. S. Humes, M. (1984b) Cognitive functions in left and right-handed autistic children. Paper presented at the meeting of the International Neuropsychological Society, Houston, Texas.Google Scholar
Finegan, J. & Quarrington, B. (1979) Pre-, peri-, and neonatal factors and infantile autism. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 20, 119–128.Google Scholar
Folstein, S. & Rutter, M. (1977) Infantile autism: a genetic study of 21 twin pairs. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 18, 297–322.Google Scholar
Geschwind, N. (1965) Disconnection syndromes in animals and man. Brain, 88, 237–294.Google Scholar
Geschwind, N. & Galaburda, A. (1985) Cerebral lateralization. Biological mechanisms, associations, and pathology: I A hypothesis and a program for research. Archives of Neurology, 42, 428–459.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gillberg, C. & Gillberg, J. (1983) Infantile autism: a total population study of reduced optimality in the pre-, peri-, and neonatal period. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 13, 153–166.Google Scholar
Gillberg, C. & Svendsen, P. (1983) Childhood psychosis and computed tomographic brain scan findings. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 13, 19–32.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gillberg, C. & Forsell, C. (1984) Childhood psychosis and neurofibromatosis-more than a coincidence. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 14, 1–8.Google Scholar
Gillberg, C., Rosenhall, U. A Johansson, E. (1983e) Auditory brainstem responses in childhood psychoses. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 13, 181–195.Google Scholar
Gillberg, C., Svennerholm, L. A Hamilton-Hellbero, C. (1983b) Childhood psychosis and menoamme metabolites in spinal fluid. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 13,383–396.Google Scholar
Harper, J. & Williams, S. (1975) Age and type of onset as critical variables in early infantile autism. Journal of Autism and Child Schizophrenia, 5, 25–36.Google Scholar
Hauser, S. L., DeLong, G. R. & Rosman, N. P. (1975) Pneumographic findings in the infantile autistic syndrome. Brain, 98, 667–688.Google Scholar
Hermelin, B.(1982) Thoughts and feelings. Australian Autism Review, 1, 10–19.Google Scholar
Hetzler, B. & Griffin, J. (1981) Infantile autism and the temporal lobe of the brain. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 11, 317–330.Google Scholar
Hier, D. B., LeMay, M. A Rosenberger, P. B. (1979) Autism and unfavorable left-right asymmetries of the brain. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 19, 153–159.Google Scholar
Hoffmann, W. & Prior, M. (1982) Neuropsychological dimensions of autism in children: a test of the hemispheric dysfunction hypothesis. Journal of Clinical Neuropsychology, 4, 27–42.Google Scholar
Hoffmann, W. & Prior, M. (1986) Frontal lobe deficits in autistic children. In preparation.Google Scholar
Jackson, M. J. A Garrod, P. J. (1978) Plasma, zinc, copper and amino acid levels in blood of autistic children. Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 8, 203–208.Google Scholar
James, A. L. & Barky, R. J. (1980) A review of psychophysiology in early onset psychosis. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 6, 506–525.Google Scholar
Jones, V. & Prior, M. (1985) Motor imitation abilities and neurological signs in autistic children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 15, 37–46.Google Scholar
Kanner, L. (1943) Autistic disturbances of affective contact. Nervous Children, 2, 217–250.Google Scholar
Kanner, L. (1944) Early infantile autism. Journal of Pediatrics, 25, 211–217.Google Scholar
Kolvin, I., Ounsted, C., Humphrey, N. & McNay, A. (1971) Six studies in the Childhood Psychoses. II – Phenomenology of Childhood Psychoses. British Journal of Psychiatry, 118, 385–395.Google Scholar
Kuperman, S., Beeghly, J., Burns, T. & Tsai, L. (1985) Serotonin relationships of autistic probands and their first-degree relatives. Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 24, 186–190.Google Scholar
Lamondella, J. (1977) The limbic system in human communication. In Studies in Neurolinguistics (eds H. Whitaker and H. A. Whitaker). New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Links, P. S., Stockwell, M., Abichandani, F. & Simeon, J. (1980) Minor physical anomalies in childhood autism. 1: Their relationship to prenatal and perinatal complications. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 10, 273–285.Google Scholar
Lobascher, M., Kingerlee, P. & Gubbay, S. (1970) Childhood autism: aetiological factors in 25 cases. British Journal of Psychiatry, 117, 525–529.Google Scholar
Lotter, V. (1966) Epidemiology of autistic conditions in young children. I. Prevalence. Social Psychiatry, 1, 124–137.Google Scholar
Luria, A. R. (1973) The Working Brain. London: Penguin.Google Scholar
MacCulloch, M. & Williams, C. (1971) On the nature of infantile autism. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavia, 47, 295–314.Google Scholar
McCann, B. S. (1981) Hemispheric asymmetries and early childhood autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 11, 401–411.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meryash, D., Szymanski, L. & Park, S. (1982) Infantile autism associated with the Fragile-X syndrome. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 12 (3), 295–301.Google Scholar
Minton, J., Campbell, M., Green, W., Jennings, S. & Samit, C. (1982) Cognitive assessment of siblings of autistic children. Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 21, 256–261.Google Scholar
Niwa, S., Ohta, M. & Yamazaki, K. (1983) P300 and stimulus evaluation process in autistic subjects. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 13, 33–42.Google Scholar
Ornitz, E. (1978) Neurophysiologic studies. In Autism: A Reappraisal of Concepts and Treatment (eds M. Rutter & E. Schopler). New York: Plenum Press.Google Scholar
Ornitz, E., Ritvo, E., Brown, M., La Franchi, S., Parmelee, T. & Walter, R. (1969) The EEG and rapid eye movements during REM sleep in autistic and normal children. Electroencepholography and Clinical Neurophysiology, 16, 167–175.Google Scholar
Walter, R., Guthrie, D. & Farley, A. (1978) The early symptoms of childhood autism. In Cognitive Deficits in the Development of Mental Illness (ed. G. Serban). New York: Brunner, Mazel.Google Scholar
Piggott, L. R. (1979) Overview of selected basic research in autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorder, 9, 199–217.Google Scholar
Piggott, L. R., Frohman, C., Ward, V. S. Gottlieb, J. (1975) The effect of plasma from psychotic children on tryptophan uptake in chicken erythrocytes. Neuropsychobiology, 1, 284–295.Google Scholar
Prior, M. (1979) Cognitive abilities and disabilities in infantile autism: A review. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 7, 357–380.Google Scholar
Prior, M. (1984) Developing concepts of childhood autism: The influence of experimental cognitive research. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 52, 4–16.Google Scholar
Prior, M. & Bradshaw, J. L. (1975) Hemispheric functioning in autistic children. Cortex, 15, 73–81.Google Scholar
Prior, M., Gajzago, C. & Knox, D. (1976) An epidemiological study of autistic and psychotic children in the four eastern states of Australia. Australia and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 10, 173–184.Google Scholar
Prior, M., Tress, B, Hoffmann, W. S., Boldt, D. (1984) Computed tomographic study of children with classic autism. Archives of Neurology, 41, 482–484.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ricks, D. M. & Wing, L. (1976) Language, communication and the use of symbols. In Early Childhood Autism (ed. L. Wing). New York: Pergamon Press.Google Scholar
Rimland, B. (1964) Infantile Autism. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.Google Scholar
Ritvo, E. (1979) Autism: Diagnosis, Current Research and Management. New York: Spectrum.Google Scholar
Ritvo, E., Yuwiler, A., Geller, E., Ornitz, E., Saeger, K. & Plotkin, S. (1970) Increased blood serotonin and platelets in early infantile autism. Archives of General Psychiatry, 23, 566–572.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Plotkin, S., Ritvo, E. C. & Brothers, A. M. (1982) Genetic and immunohematological factors in autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 12, 109–114.Google Scholar
Plotkin, S., Spence, A., Freeman, B., Mason-Brothers, A., Mo, A. & Marazita, M. (1985) Evidence for autosomal recessive inheritance in 46 families with multiple incidences of autism. American Journal of Psychiatry, 142, 187–192.Google Scholar
Rosenblum, S., Arick, J., Krug, D., Stubbs, E., Young, N. & Pelson, R. (1980) Auditory brainstem evoked responses in autistic children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 10, 215–226.Google Scholar
Rutter, M. (1974) The development of infantile autism. Psychological Medicine, 4, 147–163.Google Scholar
Rutter, M. (1983) Cognitive deficits in the pathogenesis of autism. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 24, 513–532.Google Scholar
Satz, P. (1973) Left-handedness and early brain insult: An explanation. Neuropsychology, 11, 115–117.Google Scholar
Schain, R. J. & Yannet, H. (1960) Infantile autism: An analysis of 30 cases and a consideration of certain neurophysiological concepts. Journal of Pediatrics, 57, 560–567.Google Scholar
Schopler, E. (1983) New Developments in the definition and diagnosis of autism. In Advances in Clinical Child Psychology (ed. A. Kazdin) Vol. 6. New York: Plenum.Google Scholar
Schopler, E., Andrews, C. & Strupp, K. (1979) Do autistic children come from upper-middle-class parents? Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 9, 139–152.Google Scholar
Simon, N. (1975) Echolalic speech in childhood autism: Consideration of possible underlying loci of brain damage. Archives of General Psychiatry, 32, 1439–1446.Google Scholar
Skoff, B., Mirsky, A. & Turner, D. (1980) Prolonged brainstem transmission time in autism. Psychiatry Research, 2, 157–166.Google Scholar
Spence, M. A. (1976) Genetic studies. In Autism: Diagnosis, Current Research and Management (ed. E. Ritvo). New York: Halstead/Wiley.Google Scholar
Stubbs, E. (1976) Autistic children exhibit undetectable hemagglutination-inhibition antibody titers despite previous rubella vaccination. Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 6,269–274.Google Scholar
Stubbs, E., Crawford, M., Burger, D. & Vanderbart, A. (1977) Depressed lymphocyte responsiveness in autistic children. Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 7, 49–55.Google Scholar
Stubbs, E., Ash, E. S. Williams, C. (1984) Autism and Congenital Cytomegalovirus. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 14, 183–190.Google Scholar
Tanguay, P. (1977) Clinical and electrophysiological research. In Autism: Diagnosis, Current Research and Management (ed. E. Ritvo). New York: Spectrum.Google Scholar
Tanguay, P. & Edwards, R. M. (1982) Electrophysiological studies of autism: The whisper of the bang. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 12, 177–184.Google Scholar
Tanguay, P., Edwards, R., Buchwald, J., Schwafel, J. & Allen, V. (1982) Auditory brainstem evoked responses in autistic children. Archives of General Psychiatry, 39, 174–180.Google Scholar
Tsai, L. Y. (1983) The relationship of handedness to the cognitive, language and visuo-spatial skills of autistic patients. British Journal of Psychiatry, 142, 136–162.Google Scholar
Tsai, L. Y. & Stewart, M. A. (1983) Etiological implication of maternal age and birth-order in infantile-autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 13, 57–65.Google Scholar
Tsai, L. Y., Stewart, M. & August, G. (1981) Implication of sex differences in the familial transmission of infantile autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 11, 165–173.Google Scholar
Tsai, L. Y., Tsai, M. & August, G. (1985) Brief report: Implication of EEG diagnosis in the subclassification of Infantile Autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 15, 339–344.Google Scholar
Waldo, M., Cohen, D., Caparulo, E., Young, J., Prichard, J. & Shaywitz, B. (1978) EEG profiles of neuropsychiatrically disturbed children. Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 17, 656–670.Google Scholar
Wing, L. (1980) Childhood autism and social class: A question of selection? British Journal of Psychiatry, 137, 410–417.Google Scholar
Wing, L. (1981) Sex ratios in early childhood autism and related conditions. Psychiatry Research, 5, 129–137.Google Scholar
Yamazaki, K., Saito, Y., Okada, F., Fujieda, T. & Yamashita, I. (1975) An application of neuroendocrinological studies in autistic children and Heller's syndrome. Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 5, 323–332.Google Scholar
Yuwiler, A., Ritvo, E. R., Geller, E., Glousman, R., Schneiderman, G. & Matsuno, D. (1975) Uptake and efflux of serotonin from platelets of autistic and nonautistic children. Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 5, 83–98.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.