Brain Tissue Research
Cellular research is fundamental to understanding the neural basis of autism. However, very few studies have examined the autistic brain at the cellular level. Our lab is further characterizing the cellular abnormalities found throughout the brain. Our analysis is focused on regions of the brain that have been shown to be abnormal by previous studies using other research tools.
(see our structural research and functional neuroimaging research)
We are focusing on two key regions in our search for the cellular differences in autism. First, we are interested in characterizing the cellular abnormalities found throughout the frontal lobe, a region of the brain involved in diverse functions such as attention, memory, language, social behavior, and emotional processing. Previous research from our lab, using MRI, has demonstrated abnormal enlargement of the frontal lobes in autism. Our cellular research will identify the microscopic neuronal consequences of this overgrowth.
We are also concentrating on the cerebellum, a region of the brain first identified by our lab to be a site of common abnormality in autism (Courchesne et al., 1988). The cerebellum, traditionally thought to only play a role in motor behavior, is now known to be also involved in numerous sensory and cognitive processes. Using cell counting methods, we will be able to quantify cell loss and determine the spatial extent of this loss.
FIGURE: Top: Autistic adult Bottom: Control adult
These cells come from the dorsal frontal region and you can tell that the control cells are much larger and fewer in between.
Understanding the cellular basis of autism is essential to understanding the anatomical, functional, and behavioral abnormalities seen in autism. Furthermore, characterization of neuronal changes or the patterns of cell loss can inform future genetic research.