Amygdala neurons increase as children become adults -- except in autism

(University of California - Davis Health System) Researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute found that typically-developing children gain more neurons in a region of the brain that governs social and emotional behavior, the amygdala, as they become adults. This phenomenon does not happen in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Instead, children with ASD have too many neurons early on and then appear to lose those neurons as they become adults. The findings were published today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

from EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science http://ift.tt/2GLnFzh