Computational model of excitatory/inhibitory ratio imbalance role in attention deficit disorders.

Impairments in attentional behaviors, including over-selectivity, under-selectivity, distractibility and difficulty in shift of attention, are widely reported in several developmental disorders, including autism. Uncharacteristic inhibitory to excitatory neuronal number ratio (IER) and abnormal synaptic strength levels in the brain are two broadly accepted neurobiological disorders observed in autistic individuals. These neurobiological findings are contrasting and their relation to the atypical attentional behaviors is not clear yet.