Autism Studies and Related Medical Conditions, January 2009 - TACA

In seeking the neurologic substrate of the autistic syndrome of childhood,
previous studies have implicated the medial temporal lobe or the ring of
mesolimbic cortex located in the mesial frontal and temporal lobes. During an
acute encephalopathic illness, a clinical picture developed in three children that
was consistent with infantile autism. This development was reversible. It was
differentiated from acquired epileptic aphasia, and the language disorder was
differentiated aphasia. One child has rises in serum herpes simplex titers, and a
computerized tomographic (CT) scan revealed an extensive lesion of the
temporal lobes, predominantly on the left. The other two, with similar clinical
syndromes, had normal CT scans, and no etiologic agent was defined. These
cases are examples of an acquired and reversible autistic syndrome in childhood,
emphasizing the clinical similarities to bilateral medial temporal lobe disease as
described in man, including the Klüver-Bucy syndrome seen in postencephalitic
as well as postsurgical states.
PMID: 6162440 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Denney DR, Frei BW, Gaffney GR. Lymphocyte subsets and interleukin-2 receptors in
autistic children. J Autism Dev Disord. 1996 Feb;26(1):87-97.
Department of Psychology, University of Kansas, Lawrence 66045, USA.
Blood samples were obtained from 10 male autistic children ages 7-15 years and
10 age-matched, male, healthy controls. Lymphocyte subsets (helper-inducer,
suppressor-cytotoxic, total T, and total B cells) were enumerated using
monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry. Bound and soluble interleukin-2
receptors were assayed in unstimulated blood samples and in cell cultures
following 72-hour stimulation with phytohemagglutinin. The children with autism
had a lower percentage of helper-inducer cells and a lower helper:suppressor
ratio, with both measures inversely related to the severity of autistic symptoms (r
= - .56 and - .68, respectively). A lower percentage of lymphocytes expressing
bound interleukin-2 receptors following mitogenic stimulation was also noted,
and this too was inversely related to the severity of autistic symptoms.
PMID: 8819772 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Engstrom HA, Ohlson S, Stubbs EG, Maciulis A, Caldwell V, Odell JD, Torres A.R.
Decreased Expression of CD95 (FAS/APO-1) on CD4+ T-lymphocytes from Participants
with Autism. J Dev Phys Disabil. 2003 Jun 15;2:155-163(9).
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