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Autism, Vol. 11, No. 6, 557-569 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/1362361307083261
© 2007 The National Autistic Society, SAGE Publications

Comparative minicolumnar morphometry of three distinguished scientists

Manuel F. Casanova

University of Louisville, USA, M0CASA02{at}louisville.edu

Andrew E. Switala

University of Louisville, USA

Juan Trippe

University of Louisville, USA

Michael Fitzgerald

Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland

It has been suggested that the cell minicolumn is the smallest module capable of information processing within the brain. In this case series, photomicrographs of six regions of interests (Brodmann areas 4, 9, 17, 21, 22, and 40) were analyzed by computerized image analysis for minicolumnar morphometry in the brains of three distinguished scientists and six normative controls. Overall, there were significant differences (p < 0.001) between the comparison groups in both minicolumnar width (CW) and mean cell spacing (MCS). Although our scientists did not exhibit deficits in communication or interpersonal skills, the resultant minicolumnar phenotype bears similarity to that described for both autism and Asperger's syndrome. Computer modeling has shown that smaller columns account for discrimination among signals during information processing. A minicolumnar phenotype that provides for discrimination and/or focused attention may help explain the savant abilities observed in some autistic people and the intellectually gifted.

Key Words: creativity • minicolumns • neocortex • neuropathology


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