OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the size of
subregions of the corpus callosum in autistic individuals. METHOD: The
areas of three subregions (anterior, body, and posterior) of the corpus
callosum were examined on midsagittal magnetic resonance images of 35
autistic subjects whose mean age was 18 years and 36 healthy comparison
subjects matched on age and IQ. RESULTS: After controlling for total brain
volume, gender, and performance IQ, the authors detected a significantly
smaller size of the body and posterior subregions of the corpus callosum in
the autistic individuals. CONCLUSIONS: In the context of recent reports of
increased brain size in autism, several possible mechanisms are considered
in exploring the significance of a smaller relative size of the corpus
callosum in autism.
Abstract Teaser