Epilepsy Talk

Autistic Children May Have Too Many Brain Cells

TUESDAY, Nov. 8 (HealthDay News) — The brains of autistic children have far more neurons in the prefrontal cortex than the brains of kids without autism, finds a new study that could advance research into the disorder.

“For the first time, we have the potential to understand why autism gets started,” said study author Eric Courchesne, a professor of neurosciences at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and director of the Autism Center of Excellence.

“Creating brains cells and the correct number of brain cells is absolutely fundamental to building the brain,” said Courchesne. “If there is an excess number of neurons, there must be a negative consequence to that in the way the brain gets wired or organized.”