Neuropathological and genetic findings in autism: The significance of a putative mini columnopathy

Autism is a condition manifested as abnormalities of relatedness, communication, range of interests, and repetitive behaviors. Despite alarming prevalence estimates and exhortations to research, little is known regarding its pathophysiology. Recent reports of a putative minicolumnopathy explain changes in brain size, gray/white matter ratios, and interareal connectivity. This article summarizes possible links between mini-columns and other topics-cortical modularity, age of onset, gliosis, and genetics-relevant to the pathophysiology of autism.