HYPOPLASIA OF THE CEREBELLAR VERMIS IN NEUROGENETIC SYNDROMES

There are conflicting reports on the relationship between cerebellar v ermal lobule hypoplasia and autism. Using quantitative magnetic resona nce image analysis, we measured the cerebellar vermis in 125 normal in dividuals with a broad age range and 102 patients with a variety of ne urogenetic abnormalities. We conclude that hypoplasia of cerebellar ve rmal lobules VI and VII is a nonspecific finding that even occurs in s everal conditions without autistic behavior. This suggests that it is not a specific neuroanatomical marker for autism, nor is cerebellar dy sgenesis likely to be solely responsible for clinical autistic behavio rs.