Deviant brain growth in autism occurs at the very time when the formation of cerebral circuitry is at its most exuberant and vulnerable stage, and it may signal disruption of this process of circuit formation. The resulting aberrant connectivity and dysfunction may lead to the development of autistic behaviors.
The development of the autistic brain is a complex process that can vary from person to person. While there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, research suggests that the autistic brain may continue to develop and change throughout adolescence and into early adulthood.
Autistic brains develop more slowly than healthy brains, UCLA researchers say. Researchers at UCLA have found a possible explanation for why autistic children act and think differently than their peers.
During late childhood, neurotypical brains continue to grow in size; in adulthood, they begin to shrink. By contrast, the brains of some people with autism start to shrink prematurely, before their mid-20s.
Since there is no physical test to diagnose this complex neurodevelopmental condition, doctors use behavior, history, and parent-reported interviews to diagnose ASD. Research is suggesting that, in future, brain scans may be used to diagnose autism, possibly even before behavioral symptoms become apparent.
Specifically, in autistic brains there is significantly more folding in the left parietal and temporal lobes as well as in the right frontal and temporal regions. “These alterations are often correlated with modifications in neuronal network connectivity,” Culotta says.
While MRIs cannot diagnose autism, they can provide valuable information about how autism affects the brain. For example, some studies have found that children with ASD tend to have more grey matter in certain areas of the brain, such as the prefrontal cortex and amygdala.
Conclusion: Our data suggest that nearly half of individuals with ASD have average or higher IQ. Boys with ASD are more likely to have average or higher IQ than girls. Patients with ASD and higher IQ remain at risk for not being identified.
Abstract Some children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) exhibit low mental age (Low-MA), defined here as cognitive functioning below 12 months.
Autistic people take the opposite approach with bottom-up thinking and use details to build concepts. It may take longer to filter out sensory details with this approach, but you're less likely to miss important information.
Four social brain regions, the amygdala, OFC, TPC, and insula, are disrupted in ASD and supporting evidence is summarized; these constitute the proposed common pathogenic mechanism of ASD. Symptomatology is then addressed: widespread ASD symptoms can be explained as direct effects of disrupted social brain regions.
Autism spectrum disorders are generally thought to be caused by deficits in brain development, but a study in mice now suggests that at least some aspects of the disorder -- including how touch is perceived, anxiety, and social abnormalities -- are linked to defects in another area of the nervous system, the peripheral ...
Advances in diagnostic capabilities and greater understanding and awareness of autism spectrum disorder seem to be largely driving the increase, the Rutgers researchers said. But there's probably more to the story: Genetic factors, and perhaps some environmental ones, too, might also be contributing to the trend.
In severe cases, an autistic child may never learn to speak or make eye contact. But many children with autism and other autism spectrum disorders are able to live relatively normal lives.
Autism is not an illness
It means your brain works in a different way from other people. It's something you're born with. Signs of autism might be noticed when you're very young, or not until you're older. If you're autistic, you're autistic your whole life.
The excess production of information may explain a child's detachment from their environment. New research from Case Western Reserve University and University of Toronto neuroscientists finds that the brains of autistic children generate more information at rest -- a 42% increase on average.
In fact, research has shown that autism symptoms tend to peak around the ages of 2-3 years old. During this time, children with autism may struggle with language development, social interaction, and behavior. They may have difficulty communicating their needs and understanding the needs of others.
Amaral: The percentage of kids who increased in severity between ages 6-11 was higher than that of other ages. We theorize that could be due to the many increased social demands that may lead people to withdraw, as well as the development of anxiety, which can increase at that age.
Are People With Autism Smart? People with autism can be smart, but autism itself doesn't make people smarter. Autism also doesn't guarantee intelligence, though many people with ASD do well in academics, in the workforce, and in IQ tests.
Research shows that more than half of all autistic individuals have an above-average IQ, while roughly 16% have an IQ higher than 130. But having high intelligence doesn't mean that autistic individuals don't experience some challenges associated with the diagnosis.
Risperidone (Risperdal) and Aripiprazole (Abilify) are the only drugs approved by the FDA for children with autism spectrum disorder. Risperidone can be prescribed for children between 5 and 16 years old to help with irritability and aggression. Aripiprazole can be prescribed for children between 6 and 17 years old.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is frequently comorbid with other neurological disorders such as intellectual disability (ID) or global development delay (GDD) and epilepsy.
But it's not always easy to make an ASD diagnosis. There's no lab test for it, so doctors rely on observing the behaviors of very young children and listening to the concerns of their parents. ASD has a very wide range of symptoms. Some people who are “on the spectrum” have severe mental disabilities.