Autistic children have bigger brains

A small preliminary study suggests children with autism appear to have bigger brains with more nerve cells than what is normal for their age.

Postmortem examinations of the brains of 13 boys including 8 with autism showed that those with autism had 67 percent more neurons in the prefrontal cortex, a key area of the brain needed for communication and emotional development.

The new research's findings are, however, the first direct evidence showing that the enlargement was mostly caused by excessive number of nerve cells and not glial cells which constitute the other half of the brain volume and provide support and protection for the brain's neurons.

“This isn't just a simple increase in neurons. It means a huge increase in potential connections and, therefore, a potential for miswiring which would lead to abnormal function,” he added.