ERIC Number: EJ886540
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1750-9467
EISSN: N/A
The Neurobiology of Autism: Theoretical Applications
Schroeder, Jessica H.; Desrocher, Mary; Bebko, James M.; Cappadocia, M. Catherine
Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, v4 n4 p555-564 Oct-Dec 2010
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are complex neurological disorders characterized by heterogeneity in skills and impairments. A variety of models have been developed to describe the disorders and a wide range of brain processes have been implicated. This review attempts to integrate some of the consistent neurological findings in the research with three of the dominant models of core deficits of ASDs: the weak central coherence model, the theory of mind model, and the mirror neuron system model. A review of the literature suggests that the cerebellum and the frontal lobes may be implicated in all three of the models, while the temporal lobe is associated with the theory of mind model and the mirror neuron model. In particular, the theory of mind model and the mirror neuron system model both implicate the inferior frontal gyrus and the superior temporal sulcus. This review indicates that each model appears to be heavily substantiated by neurological research, suggesting that each may capture important aspects of ASDs. (Contains 2 tables.)
Descriptors: Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Neurological Impairments, Symptoms (Individual Disorders), Brain, Cognitive Processes, Psychological Patterns, Literature Reviews, Brain Hemisphere Functions, Interpersonal Relationship
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Publication Type: Information Analyses; Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A