AUTHOR
Gustafsson, Lennart

DATE
1999-11-01

DEPARTMENT
Computer Science and Electrical Engineering / Industrial Electronics

SUMMARY
It is commonly accepted that the autistic syndromes are caused by neurological dysfunctions. Hermelin's observations of information processing dysfunctions in autism and Frith's theory of a lack of drive for central coherence delineate essential cognitive characteristics in autism. Inadequate cortical feature maps has been proposed as a neural-level theory of autism. The consequences of this theory are in agreement with Hermelin's observations and Frith's theory. In this paper it is argued that deficient synthesis of nitric oxide will cause inadequate cortical feature maps and also will result in impaired learning in cerebellum and hippocampus. Deficient synthesis of nitric oxide will also cause some specific characteristics, observed in autism. It is proposed that deficient synthesis from neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase is most likely involved.

ISSN 1402-1528 / ISRN LTU-FR--99/20--SE / NR 1999:20