Autismo: Um síndromo resultante da disfunção de um sistema cerebral específico?

The syndrome of childhood autism possibly results from dysfunction in a system of bilateral neural structures that includes the ring of mesolimbic cortex located in the mesial frontal and temporal lobes, the neostriatum, and the anterior and medial nuclear groups of the thalamus. Since part of these structures constitute the target of dopaminergic mesencephalic neurons, autism may be related to neuromediator imbalance in those structures. The dysfunction could be consequent to macroscopic or microscopic changes in the target area or in structures functionally influencing them, and result from a variety of causes such as perinatal viral infection, insult to the periventricular watershed area, or genetically determined neurochemical abnormalities