Seizures and Autism

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The role of seizure activity as a causal contributor to autism and/or neurological regression (e.g., in language) has been hotly debated. The proposed symposium is designed to explore the evidence for such an association by discussing the data on which these relationships are based, and elucidating potential basic mechanisms that might link such neurological disorders of childhood/development. The meeting will be divided into three major sections: I. Activity-dependent generation of normal brain function during development; II. Neurochemical and electrical correlates of brain developmental abnormalities; and III. Clinical regressive disorders and their relationship to developmental epilepsies. Basic scientists and clinical investigators from a number of different disciplines (epilepsy, autism, sleep) will be invited to participate in the discussion. In addition, we will provide scholarships for young investigators interested in these clinical and basic research issues/relationships. The two-and-a-half day conference is planned for early spring (March) of 2004, in the Sacramento/Lake Tahoe area. The goal of this conference is to define potential (causal?) links between developmental seizure disorders and the occurrence of autistic disorders, particularly behavioral and language regression. We hope to foster a critical discussion regarding common/shared mechanisms. The results of the discussion will be summarized in a "white paper" to be submitted to a neurology/development/epilepsy journal.