[Perisylvian magnetoencephalografic impairments in patients with autism spectrum disorders].

INTRODUCTION: The perisylvian areas, located around the Sylvian fissure, are constituted by frontal, temporal and parietal brain regions. These are connected forming specialized neural networks and play a primary role in the development of linguistic skills and social cognition. These areas are a possible neuronal substrate of cognitive and behavioral impairments in patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

AIM: To locate and quantify epileptiform activity sources through magnetoencephalography in frontal perisylvian areas in children with idiopathic ASD.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty-eight children with idiopathic ASD were studied by magnetoencephalography. The children were classified into two groups: a group of 41 children with autistic disorder and a combined group of 27 children with Asperger syndrome and children with pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified. The sources of magnetoencephalografic epileptiform activity detected in the frontal perisylvian were localized and quantified.

RESULTS: The amount of epileptiform activity in frontal perisylvian region was significantly higher in children with autistic disorder.

CONCLUSIONS: The amount of epileptiform activity in frontal perisylvian areas differed significantly between children with autistic disorder and those with Asperger syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified.