Clinical correlates of brain morphometric features of subjects with low-functioning autistic disorder

Numerous neuropathologic and imaging studies have reported different struct ural abnormalities in the brains of autistic subjects. However, whether or not the degree of brain abnormality is correlated with the severity of deve lopmental impairment in autistic disorder is still unknown. The midsagittal area of the cerebrum, corpus callosum, midbrain, cerebellar vermis, and ve rmal lobules VI and VII was measured by means of magnetic resonance imaging in 22 boys with low-functioning autistic disorder and in 11 age-matched no rmal controls. Morphometric measures were statistically compared between gr oups and correlated with age and scores on the Psychoeducational Profile-Re vised and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale. A significant negative correla tion was found between midsagittal area of the cerebrum and age in patients with autistic disorder, and a positive correlation was found between the m idsagittal area of the midbrain and some subscales of the Psychoeducational Profile-Revised.