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Table 3 Total number of neurons per region and neuronal numerical density in 15 structures and 16 cytoarchitectonic subdivisions in examined brain hemisphere of individuals with autism and control subjects*

From: Stereological study of the neuronal number and volume of 38 brain subdivisions of subjects diagnosed with autism reveals significant alterations restricted to the striatum, amygdala and cerebellum

Structure/cytoarchitectonic subdivision

Total number of neurons per region

Neuronal numerical density (N/mm3)

Autism

Control

p<

Autism

Control

p<

Putamen

61,675,039

65,111,021

ns

23,749

27,531

0.041

Caudate nucleus

54,693,459

49,292,390

ns

25,958

28,542

ns

Thalamus

47,403,083

49,291,830

ns

15,645

16,436

ns

Cornu Ammonis (CA)

14,812,043

15,047,614

ns

24,769

24,955

ns

- CA1

11,575,341

11,533,806

ns

26,368

26,699

ns

- CA2

1,051,901

1,152,120

ns

32,872

32,003

ns

- CA3

1,054,780

1,124,862

ns

23,972

24,997

ns

- CA4

1,130,021

1,236,826

ns

13,453

13,897

ns

Claustrum

12,351,088

12,917,584

ns

28,590

29,225

ns

- Insular claustrum

6,576,940

6,729,652

ns

27,751

27,924

ns

- Prepiriform claustrum

5,774,148

6,187,932

ns

29,764

30,786

ns

Entorhinal cortex (EC)

11,878,538

12,915,740

ns

23,997

27,077

ns

- EC Islands

813,252

1,023,270

ns† (0.013)

21,401

24,364

ns

- EC III

5,553,881

6,071,044

ns

21,866

24,881

0.021

- EC V

1,871,129

2,008,421

ns

31,185

32,394

ns

- EC VI

3,640,276

3,813,005

ns

25,456

29,558

ns

Amygdala

9,819,741

11,138,599

ns

24,735

27,503

ns

- Basal nucleus

2,821,429

3,154,350

ns

24,968

27,193

ns

- Lateral nucleus

4,609,751

5,544,098

ns

24,390

27,446

0.017

- Accesory basal nucleus

2,046,439

2,109,385

ns

24,957

27,755

ns

- Central nucleus

342,122

330,766

ns

26,317

30,070

ns

Nucleus accumbens

8,078,093

7,285,654

ns

33,107

40,031

0.018

Lateral geniculate body

1,493,426

1,392,966

ns

18,668

18,090

ns

Globus pallidus

1,277,936

1,312,262

ns

2,092

2,339

ns

- External globus pallidus

899,307

904,365

ns

2,183

2,485

ns

- Internal globus pallidus

378,629

407,897

ns

1,903

2,071

ns

Dentate nucleus

970,440

918,809

ns

3,977

3,960

ns

Magnocellular basal complex

768,415

790,893

ns

9,148

9,764

ns

Inferior olive

793,002

716,895

ns

12,790

12,151

ns

Substantia nigra

744,247

707,228

ns

7,594

8,037

ns

Cerebellum (Purkinje cells)

12,060,920

16,003,095

0.0001

488

645

0.0024

  1. *Controlled for log age, brain weight, post-mortem interval, days of fixation, and percentage of brain weight loss during dehydration entered as covariates.
  2. †The total number of neuronal deficit (by 20%; p < 0.013) in stellate neuron islands in the entorhinal cortex was not significant only when log age, brain weight, post-mortem interval, and days of fixation were entered as covariates.
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Acta Neuropathologica Communications

ISSN: 2051-5960

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