Now researchers are spinning, looking for new answers. There was reason to think that lesions in the cerebellum of the brain played a key role in the development of autism. Johns Hopkins researchers tested the theory unusual way. Thirteen high- functioning autistic children were spun around in a chair, tilting their heads forward when the chair stopped. Their eye movements were tracked, and showed the normal brain response to such whirling around.
Researchers think the results eliminate cerebellum dysfunction as a possible cause.
Dr. Melissa Goldberg. Not at all. I think it s very encouraging because understanding what is normal helps us put the puzzle together. It s like peeling the skin of an onion. We want to know what is functioning normally so that we can look at other areas and see what s functioning abnormally.