Three neuropathological conditions and two neurosurgical situations have been reported to present significantly earlier seizure onset in cases with autism than without. These are tuberous sclerosis, Angelman syndrome, the
We reviewed the case-report literature to determine the extension of this
Cases with autism presented significantly earlier seizure onset than cases without autism in 38 neuropathological conditions out of 162, including the previously established five. These 38 neuropathological conditions typically involved intractable epilepsy caused by focal cortical dysplasia located in the social brain, with the ictal or interictal electrical focus also located in the social brain. Within these 38 neuropathological conditions, in the cases with autism, the median seizure onset occurred between 50 days and 24 months after birth.
Onset of severe seizure disorder during an early critical post-natal interval, caused by brain damage specifically located in the social brain, strongly associates with subsequent autism.