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Pathology and Neruoananatomy of Human Brain Tissue in Autism
Autism is a heterogeneous developmental disorder which is clinically defined. Although the clinical diagnosis is reliable, taking the next steps and determining etiology, pathophysiology and treatment targets will require a greater understanding of the neurobiology of the brain. One of the methods used to understand the brain in autism includes the use of animal models. Using knockout animals among other strategies, we are able to create neuronal systems which have commonalities with autism. Unfortunately, these are just models and serve a purpose but ultimately must be shown to be relevant to the clinical syndrome seen in humans. The neuroanatomic findings in human tissue provide a baseline by which animal models can be generated. Surprisingly little is known about the neuroanatomy of autism, especially on a microscopic level. This is also true about neurodevelopment, and much of the physiology and chemistry of the brain in autism. Until fairly recently it was very difficult to study the brains of autistic individuals. With the advent of scanning techniques a wide range of information has become available. Nevertheless there are severe limitations to scanning, most obviously the fact that the resolution of scanning technology limits it’ use to investigating fairly large neuronal systems. Human brain tissue supplies a “missing link” which compliments and in some cases replaces other methods of study or the brain . Although very difficult to collect, especially with the caveat that the tissue quality must be in excellent condition for at least certain studies, we will attempt to illustrate the value of this type of research. We will present the work of four scientists who have been using human brain tissue to study autism for anatomical, developmental, environmental and genetic studies. We will also advance some of the hypotheses currently being generated by their work.
Speakers:	Christoph Schmitz, MD, PhD Jerzy Wegiel, VMD, PhD Manuel F. Casanova, MD Janine LaSalle, Ph.D.
Organizer:	Eric London
		Structural correlates of functional deficits in Autism Spectrum Disorder Jerzy Wegiel, VMD, PhD, Thomas Wisniewski, MD., Ira Cohen, PhD, Eric London, MD., Michael Flory, PhD, Humi Imaki, PhD, Izabela Kuchna, MD, PhD, Jarek Wegiel, BA, MS, Shang Yong Ma, MD, PhD, Krzysztof Nowicki, Kuo Chiang Wang, PhD, W. Ted Brown, MD, PhD
		Convergence of behavioural dysfunction, abnormalities in functional imaging and neuropathology in the fusiform gyrus in autism Christoph Schmitz, MD, Saskia Palmen, MD, PhD, Helmut Heinsen, MD, Herman Van Engeland, MD, PhD, Patrick R. Hof, MD, PhD, Harry W.M. Steinbusch, PhD, Imke Van Kooten
		Autism as a Minicolumnopathy Manuel F. Casanova, MD
		Epigenetic Clues in Autistic Brain Janine M. LaSalle, Ph.D.
Sponsor:	Invited Program

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See more of The International Meeting for Autism Research (London, May 15-17, 2008)