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Papers explaining autism
Autism, and related literature
Papers explaining autism
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I. Introduction:
Neurological disorders are complex in nature and often the least understood. Given the recent boom in imaging technology and other diagnostic methods, it is now possible to see more clearly into the scope of neurological development and accurately determine the etiology of these diseases. One of such disorders is Autism; a multifactorial condition impairing normal brain development. It affects many aspects of development, including social behavior, cognitive ability and communication skills1 and is commonly diagnosed in children before the age of three1. The symptoms of this condition can vary greatly between individuals; hence its classification as a spectrum disorder. Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder are all within this spectrum, characterized by varying extents of social and communicative difficulties2.
Autism is a disorder that is increasing in prevalence1, and due to its multifaceted nature, there are still numerous discoveries yet to be made in this field. If the respective roles of the environment and genetics are better understood, then effective treatments can be created that get to the root of the disorder, an example possibly being an increase in gene therapy research as a new means of treatment. This paper serves to examine the basis of Autism, in terms of the contributing factors and to uncover whether or not it is a primarily genetic disorder.
II. Evidence for the “yes” side:
Family Studies suggest that Autism is hereditary3. One study involved collecting data on 943, 664 children under the age of 10 for the duration of 7 years, and it was found that 818 of them developed autism3. Children who have siblings affected with autism have a risk that is 22 times hig...
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... A New Direction for Research. Environmental Health Perspectives 108, 401-404 (2000)
3. Lauritsen, M.B., Pedersen, C.B., Mortensen, P.B. Effects of familial risk factors and place of birth on the risk of autism: A nationwide register-based study Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines 46, 963-971 (2005)
4. King, I.F. et al. Topoisomerases Facilitate Transcription of Long Genes Linked to Autism. Nature 501, 58-62 (2013)
5. Bailey, A. et al. Autism as a Strongly Genetic Disorder: Evidence from a British Twin Study. Psychological Medicine 25, 63-77 (1995)
6. Reichenberg, A. et al. Advancing Paternal Age and Autism. Archives of General Psychiatry 63, 1026-1032 (2006)
7. Larsson, H.J. et al. Risk Factors for Autism: Perinatal Factors, Parental Psychiatric History, and Socioeconomic Status American Journal of Epidemiology 161, 916-925 (2005)
Rowe, Peter. “Delving into the Mystery of Autism.” San Diego Union-Tribune 16 October 2001. 9 December 2001
Hartmann, Ashley, "Autism and its Impact on Families" (2012). Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers. Paper 35. http://sophia.stkate.edu/msw_papers/35
According to Autism Speaks Inc. (2015) research has determined there are more than 100 autism risk genes. Both Autism Speaks Inc. (2015) and Autism Society agree that there is a high genetic factor in children with autism, as well as an environmental risk factor. Autism Speaks Inc. (2015) suggests that many things can be responsible for autism in children. Some of these things include parental age, maternal illnesses, extreme prematurity, low birth weight and oxygen deprived babies. According to CDC (2015) people who are older who are having kids are putting their child at a higher risk of being diagnosed with
Researching on perinatal and neonatal risk factors for autism, Gardener suggested that boys are more vulnerable to a variety of prenatal insults (e.g., infection, malnutrition, stress) and for some reason they might be more prone to genetic mutations leading to autism (Goldman, 2013).
Although the ideal approach for addressing Autism in an aging context would be a mixed research method, I believe the strongest one is the social model. The social model describes the issue that people with disabilities face are because of how society is structured. "It identifies systemic barriers, negative attitudes and exclusion by society (purposely or inadvertently) that mean society is the main contributory factor in disabling people" (Wasserman, 2016). They are saying, although there are varying difficulties that each individual with Autism will face, it only becomes a disability when society allows it to be. This is because in this model it is society's responsibility to account and include everyone so they can live their best life
There are no distinct causes of Autism spectrum disorder since most of the individual symptoms are a result of different factors. However, there has been a strong link of genetics as a major cause, although it is not clear whether it is genetic mutations or rare multi gene interactions that lead to the development of ASD. This uncertainty arises due to the many complex gene interactions involved as well as the epigenetic factors that play a role during gene expression. Autism spe...
Gray, D. E. (2002). Ten years on: A longitudinal study of families of children with autism. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 27, 215-222.
Autism was first identified as a disorder in 1943 by Dr. Leo Kanner. It was widely accepted that a child’s autistic condition was the result of extremely, cold distant, rejecting and overly intellectual parenting. The child’s extreme withdrawal was viewed as a refusal to engage in social or physical contact, rather than inability. The assumption therefore was that the familial environment being hostile was the cause of the child’s refusal to become enga...
Autism is a genetic disorder that typically appears during the first three years of life. There has been five chromosomes thought to be directly connected to autism. The disorder is a complex developmental disability. Autism is the result of a neurological disorder that has an effect on normal brain functions, affecting development of the person’s communication and social interaction skills. There are many different ways to classify autism; by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication and repetitive behavior. Autism appears to have its roots in very early brain development, however most signs of autism become obvious around two and three years old. According to the U.S Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention about 1 and 68 American children are diagnosed with Autism. Studies have showed that autism is four to five times more common in boys than girls. Which is an estimated 1 out of 42 boys are diagnosed with it compared to an estimated 1 out 189 girls are diagnosed with in the United States. Autism rates. There is many different causes linked to Autism. The two main factors that are mainly discussed are that Autism is genetically inherited and autism is established via environmental factors.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that has been a significant topic of research over the last few decades. While there is no conclusive findings as to what causes Autism, there are many reasonable theories that help to explain how this particular disorder develops. The purpose of this review is to explore and discuss various theories presented in biopsychology as to what causes Autism. Through the examination of several articles and studies, several theories will be presented. Such theories will include the Executive Function Theory, the effect of thimersol and vaccines, the effect of SHANK3, environmental factors, and genetics, all of which will be discussed in further detail.
As the prevalence of Autism continues to grow rapidly, it is proven fact that Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the United States. “On March 27, 2014, this surveillance study identified one in sixty-eight children (one in forty-two boys and one in one-hundred eighty-nine girls) as having Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).” (DSM-IV, 2000). Eight-hundred thousand people younger than eighteen years are on record as having Autism Spectrum Disorder in the United States. Most children display abnormalities within the first year of life; although most are diagnosed with Autism between the ages of two and three. Boys are nearly five times more likely than girls to have Autism. However, females with the disorder are more feasible to exhibit serious mental retardation. There are “approximately seventy-five percent of children with Autism are mentally handicapped; meaning their IQ ranges from thirty-five to fifty. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSM-IV, 2000) research suggests that only a small percentage of individuals with Autistic Disorder go on as adults to live and work independently.” ( DSM-IV, 2000)
Scientist’s aren’t certain about what causes autism, but it’s generally accepted that it is caused by abnormalities in brain structure or function, genetics/heredity, or environmental factors. Studies have found several irregularities in many regions of the brain, and abnormal levels of serotonin and other neurotransmitters in the brain. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) autism can result from the disruption of normal brain development early in fetal development caused by defeats in genes that control brain growth and regulate how brain cells communicate with each other. There are several studies in process to determine the genetic/heredity factors associated with autism. In some cases, the parents and/or relatives can have certain medical conditions including Fragile X syndrome, Rett syndrome tuberous sclerosis, some emotional disorders, and untreated phenylketonuria (PKU) that can result in an autistic baby. Research also indicates other factors besides genetics contributing to the increase in autism. Head researcher Hjordis Osk Atladottir from the University of Aarhus, Denmark emphasize that during pregnancy women with influenza were at twice the risk of their unborn baby developing autism. The study of persistent fevers that lasted at least a week tripled the risk for an autistic baby (Hjordis Osk Atladottir). Furthermore, women who used antibiotics during their pregnancy were at...
Seltzer, M. M., Shattuck, P., Abbeduto, L., & Greenberg, J. S. (2004). Trajectory of development in adolescents and adults with autism. Mental retardation and developmental disabilities research reviews, 10(4), 234-247.
Office of Communications and Public Liaison. (2013, November 6). NIH. Retrieved from National Institute of Neurological Disorder and Stroke: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm#243513082
These five developmental disorders are commonly known as Autism Spectrum Disorders. “The most common are Autism, Asperger's syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) (www.learningdisabilitiesinfo.com).” Severe Autism, Rett Syndrome, and CDD are usually recognized before a child reaches the age of three. However, high-functioning Autism and Asperger’s are often times not discovered until a child enters school. High-functioning Autism and Asperger’s are frequently compared, considering children with these disorders express the same traits and characteristics. Conversely, the main difference between the two disorders is pragmatics, or language skills. A child with Asperger’s Syndrome is capable of communicating, but due to their social and developmental impairments, they cannot appropriately communicate with their peers. On the other hand, a child with Autism lacks language skills and requires spec...