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Autism Support Network reports
As a baby's brain develops, there is an explosion of synapses, the connections that allow neurons to send and receive signals. But during childhood and adolescence, the brain needs to start pruning those synapses, limiting their number so different brain areas can develop specific functions and are not overloaded with stimuli.
Now a new study suggests that in children with autism, something in the process goes awry, leaving an oversupply of synapses in at least some parts of the brain.
[...]
The study, published [August 21] in the journal Neuron, involved tissue from the brains of children and adolescents who had died from ages 2 to 20. About half had autism; the others did not.
The researchers, from Columbia University Medical Center, looked closely at an area of the brain's temporal lobe involved in social behavior and communication. Analyzing tissue from 20 of the brains, they counted spines -- the tiny neuron protrusions that receive signals via synapses -- and found more spines in children with autism.
The scientists found that at younger ages, the number of spines did not differ tremendously between the two groups of children, but adolescents with autism had significantly more than those without autism. Typical 19-year-olds had 41 percent fewer synapses than toddlers, but those in their late teenage years with autism had only 16 percent fewer than young children with autism.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Theophrastus on Tuesday September 02 2014, @10:26PM
Someone in this comment section will likely suggest that by this situation alone, excess synapses, may we be sure that autism represents either an improved brain or on the path towards it. They should try to consider what unchecked numbers of blood-vessels, or bone, or any specific cell-line does to the organism (hint: none of them become X-men, or women). In a complex multicellular organism, more of one thing is almost never better.
"But these are brain structures we're talking about here!" yes yes... but in terms of more-ness glial cells [wikipedia.org] might be more to the point, but especially connections between brain regions, not just more synapses overall, or more dendrites, or more axons. more sophisticated higher organizations is what you might be hoping for, not just more units.
(Score: 3, Informative) by SlimmPickens on Tuesday September 02 2014, @10:39PM
That wikipedia about Einstenis brain is interestnig but the one about glial cells [wikipedia.org] is more interestnig.