Cerebellar vermis lobules VIII-X in autism.

1. The aim was to investigate cerebellar vermis cross-sectional area in a group of high-functioning autistic children and normal control children. 2. Cerebellar vermis area measurements were completed on MRI scans from 8 autistic children (mean age 12.5 +/- 2.2, mean IQ 83.3 +/- 11.9) and 21 normal children (mean age 12.0 +/- 2.8, mean IQ 115 +/- 11). 3. The area of cerebellar vermis lobules VIII-X was significantly smaller in the autistic children than in the normal control subjects. ANCOVA demonstrated a confounding effect of IQ on these results. 4. Larger studies of autistic and normal subjects will be needed to assess the relationship between cerebellar abnormalities, autistic symptoms and IQ.