While those studies
uncovered widespread functional and anatomical
brain abnormalities in ASD, the results were not highly consistent, possibly reflecting the complex
brain pathology in autism spectrum disorders.
Dr. Rapoport was a pioneer in studying the pathophysiology of ADHD and neuropharmacological approaches to its treatment, and she was the first to discover that some childhood psychiatric symptoms result from autoimmune reactions to streptococcal infection, the first to establish the link between obsessive - compulsive behaviors in children and OCD in adults, and the first to use longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging to
uncover developmental
abnormalities in
brain size and structure in children with schizophrenia.