The relation between autistic spectrum disorder and Mobius syndrome was studied in 25 patients (18 males and 7 females) included in a multidisciplinary study of Mobius sequence at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Goteborg University, Sweden. Autistic spectrum disorder and learning disability were present in more than one third of patients. The findings point to a possible brainstem insult in early pregnancy as a cause in some cases of autism. [1]
COMMENT. Brainstem dysfunction has been proposed as a possible mechanism of autism (Gillberg et al, 1983). The present study offers some support for this hypothesis.