The amygdala is a group of neurons associated with emotions and especially fear. It is connected to several of the other parts of the brain and it is where the stimuli of the senses end up, for the purpose of rapid reaction
My children autism show atypical development of brain regions linked to the amygdala, which is involved in processing fear and other emotions, according to a new study.
The tonsil it is a group of neurons that is part of the “primitive” brain, which controls instinctive functions. It is related to emotions and especially fear. It is connected to several of the other parts of the brain and it is where the stimuli of the senses end up, for the purpose of rapid reaction. It plays a primary role in memory, decision-making and emotional reactions. In humans the amygdala of the brain is a cluster of interconnected similar almond-shaped structures. There are two tonsils, one for each side of the brain and they are located on the sides of the brain.
The areas of the brain most affected differ between autistic boys and girls, the study also shows, adding to the growing body of evidence on gender differences in autism, the researchers say.
“THE better understanding of amygdala development and its connectivity may help develop new biomarkers to study brain and social health“, says Emma Duerden, assistant professor of applied psychology at Western University. Previous studies have found that it is enlarged in some autistic children compared to non-autistic children, a difference that may be linked to anxiety and depression.
In the new study, the researchers used MRI scans to track the development of 32 brain regions with direct connections to the amygdala. 282 autistic children and 128 non-autistic children took part in the study. The researchers scanned each child up to four times when the children were 39, 52, 64 and 137 months old, on average. They also measured the children’s autism characteristics and social difficulties using a parent-completed questionnaire called the Social Responsiveness Scale-2.
Autistic children had larger brain areas connected to the amygdala than non-autistic children at all ages. The differences increased over time and were most evident among autistic children with apparent social difficulties. The researchers found no differences in the size of brain regions not directly connected to the amygdala between children with and without autism. “While numerous previous studies have looked at changes in the amygdala in people with autism spectrum disorder, this is the first study to look at changes in regions known to be directly connected to the amygdala“, he says Joshua Corbinprofessor of pediatrics at Children’s National Hospital in Washington.
The research adds new and strong evidence for gender differences in the neurobiology of autism. The researchers also found that autistic children with traditional forms of anxiety, as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), tended to have atypically large tonsils. However, autistic children with a form of anxiety clearly associated with autism, as assessed by a clinical questionnaire known as the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule with Autism Addendum, showed significantly slower right amygdala development compared to other autistic and non-autistic children. children.
If the results of the new study hold up to replication, then looking at areas connected to the amygdala could help researchers measure how well autism interventions are working.
View the news feed and get the latest news.
