The DOI matches its Crossref record; 35 of the 35 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Stereological Analysis of Amygdala Neuron Number in Autism
Open accessAbstract
The amygdala is one of several brain regions suspected to be pathological in autism. Previously, we found that young children with autism have a larger amygdala than typically developing children. Past qualitative observations of the autistic brain suggest increased cell density in some nuclei of the postmortem autistic amygdala. In this first, quantitative stereological study of the autistic brain, we counted and measured neurons in several amygdala subdivisions of 9 autism male brains and 10 age-matched male control brains. Cases with comorbid seizure disorder were excluded from the study. The amygdaloid complex was outlined on coronal sections then partitioned into five reliably defined subdivisions: (1) lateral nucleus, (2) basal nucleus, (3) accessory basal nucleus, (4) central nucleus, and (5) remaining nuclei. There is no difference in overall volume of the amygdala or in individual subdivisions. There are also no changes in cell size. However, there are significantly fewer neurons in the autistic amygdala overall and in its lateral nucleus. In conjunction with the findings from previous magnetic resonance imaging studies, the autistic amygdala appears to undergo an abnormal pattern of postnatal development that includes early enlargement and ultimately a reduced number of neurons. It will be important to determine in future studies whether neuron loss in the amygdala is a consistent characteristic of autism and whether cell loss occurs in other brain regions as well.
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“Neuronal densities are higher in layers I-III of area 24a in the left hemisphere, neuronal size is reduced in all layers of area 24b, and neuronal packing density is reduced in layers V-VI in area 24c, consistent with previously reported reductions in neuronal density in the FG and amygdala [318, 362].”
From Autism spectrum disorder: neuropathology and animal models (2017) · cites this paper as [318]
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Cited by
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“The largest postmortem study of autism to use stereological methods for quantifying neuron numbers in 10-to 44-year-old cases found fewer neurons in the amygdala, a structure important in emotion, learning, and memory (Schumann and Amaral, 2006).”
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Metadata
- Authors
- Schumann, C. M., & Amaral, D. G.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Davis (US)
- Venue
- The Journal of Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Society for Neuroscience
- Published
- 2006-07-19
- Volume
- 26
- Issue
- 29
- Pages
- 7674-7679
- ISSN
- 0270-6474 (ISSN-L)
- 1529-2401
- PMC
- PMC6674270
- OpenAlex
- W2087838692
- Cited by
- 413
- References
- 35
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 25 · 2016: 26 · 2015: 25 · 2014: 31 · 2013: 26 · 2012: 23
- FWCI
- 10.36
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- University of Miami
- National Institutes of Health (MH41479)
- National Institute of Mental Health (MH-41479)
- National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Keywords
- autism spectrum disorder, amygdala, neuron number, neuronal loss, lateral nucleus, central nucleus, postnatal brain development, brain volume, postmortem brain
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Amygdala, Autistic Disorder, Cadaver, Cell Count, Child, Humans, Male, Neurons, Case-Control Studies
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