By contrast, the brains of some people with autism start to shrink prematurely, before their mid-20s. Some children who are later diagnosed with autism also have excess cerebrospinal fluid — the liquid that surrounds the brain — compared with their non-autistic peers, which may contribute to having an enlarged head.
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.
A new study led by UC Davis MIND Institute researchers confirms that brain development in people with autism differs from those with typical neurodevelopment. According to the study published in PNAS, these differences are linked to genes involved in inflammation, immunity response and neural transmissions.
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.
For people on the autism spectrum, the world is a bewildering place. With oversensitive sensory systems, they battle to process the maelstrom of information flowing into their brains. Often the result is sensory overload, leading to signature behaviours such as tantrums, anxiety and social withdrawal.
It's a common misconception that autistic people are unaware of their condition. The truth is, many autistic people are very much aware of their autism and how it affects them. In fact, some say that it's through understanding and acceptance of their autism that they've been able to lead fulfilling lives.
An autistic person will feel emotions and will want to communicate emotions to those around them. However, it is not uncommon to encounter difficulties in expressing oneself. Indeed, people with autism spectrum disorder will encounter certain obstacles in recognizing various facial expressions.
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.
While cognitive empathy can be lower in people with autism, affective empathy—which is based on instincts and involuntary responses to the emotions of others—can be strong and overwhelming. In fact, newer research suggests that some people with autism may actually feel other people's emotions more intensely.
If someone in your family has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), you may be more likely to have a child with ASD. ASD can look very different from person to person, so taking a careful family health history can be important for early diagnosis.
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.
The increased use of retrospective measures such as head circumference, along with a surge of MRI studies of toddlers with autism, have opened a whole new area of research and discovery. Recent studies have now shown that abnormal brain overgrowth occurs during the first 2 years of life in children with autism.
There is not just one cause of ASD. There are many different factors that have been identified that may make a child more likely to have ASD, including environmental, biologic, and genetic factors.
“High-functioning autism” isn't an official medical term or diagnosis. It's an informal one some people use when they talk about people with autism spectrum disorder , or ASD, who can speak, read, write, and handle basic life skills like eating and getting dressed. They can live independently.
Autism is not a mental health problem. It's a developmental condition that affects how you see the world and how you interact with other people. Just like anyone else, autistic people can have good mental health. However, people with autism do often experience mental health problems.
Some autistic people can experience difficulties making themselves understood, understanding what's being said to them, and understanding facial expressions and body language. This can cause considerable frustration and anxiety which may result in anger or distressed behaviour.
More than half of autistic people in the United States have an average or above-average intelligence quotient (IQ), an uptick over previous estimates, a new longitudinal study of children in Minnesota suggests.
Abstract Some children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) exhibit low mental age (Low-MA), defined here as cognitive functioning below 12 months.
While autism does not necessarily get worse with age, there are some factors that can exacerbate symptoms and make it more difficult for individuals to manage their condition. For example, stress and anxiety can have a significant impact on the symptoms of autism.
Some of these investigators have proposed that perception of time is altered among many people who have autism. Interestingly, other researchers have found that time perception can be an area of strength for certain people on the spectrum. Some people affected by autism appear to excel at time reproduction.
Love and affection may be felt but expressed differently
They may show love, for example, through a practical act, and tidy up for you, or iron your shirt, rather than through a more neurotypical way of looking at you and telling you or using physical affection.
Some people with autism don't instinctively think to give kisses or hugs and tell you they love you, so their partner often has to be the one to initiate these things.
Many autistic people enjoy spending time alone and consider it important for their wellbeing.