Biomedical subjects

M Palau-Baduell

Publications and source records attributed to M Palau-Baduell.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

[A comparative study of pragmatic language disorders and autism spectrum disorders using magnetoencephalography].

INTRODUCTION: Pragmatics refers to the social use of language; its precursors are already present during the process of maturing, during the preverbal stage, and become manifest when the child starts to point and to share his or her attention with another person. In cases of specific language impairment (SLI) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) it can be altered to varying degrees. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Due to the difficulties involved in diagnosis from a clinical point of view, we carried out a study by means of magnetoencephalography (MEG) on a series of 11 patients who had SLI and another series of 9 patients with ASD, in order to determine whether MEG is capable of distinguishing these diagnoses. RESULTS: Patients with SLI displayed pathological activity in the frontal and middle temporal regions of both hemispheres. Patients with ASD showed pathological activity in the perisylvian area. Expressive-receptive SLI with pragmatic language disorder showed pathological activity that was similar to that seen in autism. CONCLUSION: MEG can be used to distinguish between SLI and ASD by studying the epileptiform activity that occurs in pervasive developmental disorders. MEG helps us to understand the continuum that exists between SLI or expressive-receptive SLI and autism.

Autistic Disorder↗

PubMed2005

[Functional neuroanatomical correlations of the perisylvian area in autism spectrum disorders].

INTRODUCTION: Autism spectrum disorders cover a continuum of disorders ranging from severe autism to mild autism and Asperger's syndrome. They are considered to be a subgroup of the pervasive development disorders and are characterised by the alteration of three basic areas of behaviour, qualitative alterations in reciprocal social interaction, qualitative alterations in communication and patterns of behaviour, and stereotyped, repetitive and restrictive activities and interests. These alterations are expressed to a greater or lesser degree depending on the level of severity of the disorder and can be detected and quantified by clinical instruments such as the ADI-R (Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised) and the CARS (Childhood Autism Rating Scale). AIMS. Our aim was to establish a relationship between the specific behavioural characteristics of autism (evaluated by ADI-R and CARS) and brain structures and functions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The sample was made up of 10 subjects (9 boys and 1 girl) diagnosed with pervasive development disorder. RESULTS: We obtained statistically significant Spearman correlations between the ADI-R item restricted, repetitive and stereotyped behaviour patterns and the area of the right inferior precentral gyrus. A positive correlation was also found between the item for abnormality or apparent deviation in development before the age of 36 months and the right supramarginal gyrus area, while the correlation was negative between the former and the left postcentral gyrus. There was also a significant correlation between the number of perisylvian areas and epileptiform activity and qualitative incapacity in communication on the ADI-R, and some items on the CARS with areas of the perisylvian zone. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings confirm the relation between functional alterations of the different areas that make up the perisylvian region and the distinct behavioural features that define and characterise autism.

Autistic Disorder↗

PubMed2005

[Specific language disorders: their diagnosis, classification and study using magnetoencephalography].

INTRODUCTION: Specific language disorder (SLD) is defined as a disorder in which language is slow and retarded with respect to the patient's chronological age, and which is not related to a sensory-auditory or motor deficit or to a pervasive development disorder; in other words, structural and functional neurological developmental disorders must be excluded. After many studies and attempts to reach an agreement, specific language disorders have been broadly classified into two groups: specific expressive language disorder and specific receptive-expressive language disorder. AIMS: Our objective was to study SLD using magnetoencephalography (MEG) in order to look for epileptiform manifestations in precise language areas. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We studied a sample made up of 11 patients with SLD, one of whom had Landau-Kleffner syndrome and one with cryptogenic-type SLD. The criteria used were age-dependent autism exclusion tests and specific language tests for SLD. The MSI technique was carried out on all the patients, by magnetic resonance and MEG. RESULTS: A characteristic pattern is obtained for SLD in the form of irregular spike and polyspike-wave discharges in bilateral frontal channels. The dipoles were situated mainly in the left perisylvian areas. CONCLUSIONS: The study of specific language disorders using MEG enables us to identify the SLD included in a proposed classification as primary-type specific language disorder, cryptogenic-type specific language disorder and secondary-type type specific language disorder, like Landau-Kleffner syndrome.

Language Disorders↗

PubMed2003

[Clinical features of epilepsy in autism spectrum disorders].

Autism is a rare disease, but is currently in vogue. An incidence of 1/1,000 has been estimated for early childhood autism, but in autism spectrum the incidence can reach 30/1,000. The clinical characteristics of autism are cognitive language disorders, lack of social interaction, obsessive behaviours with stereotypic movements and epilepsy. For some authors it is an associated symptom while for others it is a cardinal symptom of the disease. Epilepsy in autism, as an association, was reported as early as 1944 by Leo Kanner, in describing his initial work involving 11 cases and how one of them suffered from epilepsy. In 1960, the prevalence of epilepsy among autistic patients was evaluated and found to be much higher than in the normal population. The figures differ from author to author, but really they depend on age: the higher the age, the greater the prevalence of epilepsy. It was in fact this detail that drew our attention to this issue, and triggered the first questions in our research into autism and epilepsy. The series vary from 4 to 86%, depending on the methodology used to confirm the epilepsy. In our casuistics, between the ages of 1 and 18 years, 20% of these children with autism spectrum disorders suffer some kind of epileptic seizures, and 80% suffer what other researchers call subclinical seizures . In this paper, the symptomatology of the most important subclinical seizures that have been observed in these children is presented; the diseases associated with autism are commented on; the concept of primary and secondary autism is discussed; we explain why seizures occur in autism and their consequences as a neurodevelopmental disorder, and we put forward an interesting hypothesis within our general theory of autism. We also comment on the importance that the use of functional magnetic images in the study of autism has in our research.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

[Savant or idiot savant syndrome].

Savant syndrome is currently still very mysterious, yet, thanks to the progress made in neuroimaging studies and especially MSI (Magnetic Source Imaging) techniques, a little more is now known about it. The theory, formulated many years ago, about damage to the left hemisphere of the brain has been supported by functional neuroimaging. Its relation to developmental disorders or to autism spectrum disorders is far more justified today and can be explained on the basis of its neuropathology. We present a study based on a review of the scientific literature concerning the syndrome, from the first time it was described back in 1789 by Benjamin Rush up to the present day. We comment on its epidemiology and positive clinical manifestations, involving brilliant artistic talent and dazzling memory, but also the negative aspects suffered by these autistic patients. The most important theories are discussed together with the clinical coincidence with frontotemporal dementia and the responsibility of the right hemisphere when there are alterations in the contralateral hemisphere. The latest contributions made by Positron Emission Tomography and magnetoencephalography will be discussed and a mini-video of a personal case will be projected.

Art↗