Taken together, these studies indicate that the cerebellum and corpus callosum are affected in similar ways in ASD and ADHD, while findings on total brain, prefrontal cortex, and basal ganglia volumes have shown opposite patterns in the two diseases.
Conclusions: ASD and ADHD are functional alterations of the cerebral cortex, which present structural anomalies in the arrangement of neurons, in the pattern of connections of cortical columns and in the structure of dendritic spines. These alterations affect mainly the prefrontal cortex and its connections.
Both ADHD and ASD are neurodevelopmental disorders (brain development has been affected in some way). That means both conditions/disorders affect the central nervous system, which is responsible for movement, language, memory, and social and focusing skills.
According to researchers from San Diego State University, these deep folds and wrinkles may develop differently in ASD. 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.
ADHD is not on the autism spectrum, but they have some of the same symptoms. And having one of these conditions increases the chances of having the other. Experts have changed the way they think about how autism and ADHD are related.
ADHD and ASD share overlapping genetic factors, and up to 85% of autistic individuals additionally experience ADHD symptoms. ADHD and ASD share overlapping characteristics around executive function, the focusing of attention, social behavior, and auditory processing.
Can ADHD mask autism? Yes. For those who have both conditions, it's more common for the autism diagnosis to come much later compared to those that have only autism. This is likely due to ADHD symptom presentations masking the autistic behaviors.
A Look at the Brain of a Person with Autism
Abnormal brain areas in people with autism include the: Cerebellum - reduced size in parts of the cerebellum. Hippocampus and Amygdala - smaller volume. Also, neurons in these areas are smaller and more tightly packed (higher cell density).
Missing link: The corpus callosum is a bundle of nerve fibers that links the two hemispheres of the brain (right). Individuals lacking this structure (left) are often diagnosed with autism.
However, brain scans using MRI and other methods do indeed help to recognize targets for the treatment of autism and may even help to diagnose autism in the future.
An estimated 30 to 80 percent of children with autism also meet the criteria for ADHD and, conversely, 20 to 50 percent of children with ADHD for autism. Given the size of the overlap, scientists are beginning to rethink the relationship between the two conditions and to look for common biological roots.
Research has shown that in children with ADHD, the prefrontal cortex matures more slowly than typically developing kids. It is also slightly smaller in size. Similarly, the cerebellum, hippocampus, and amygdala are also thought to be smaller in volume in kids with ADHD.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism can look a lot like each other. Children with either condition can have problems focusing. They can be impulsive or have a hard time communicating. They may have trouble with schoolwork and with relationships.
Double Diagnosis: When Your Child Has ADHD and Autism.
ADHD is associated with abnormally low levels of the neurotransmitters transmitting between the prefrontal cortical area and the basal ganglia i.e., dopamine and noradrenaline. Dopamine is closely associated with reward centers in the brain, and also interacts with other potent neurotransmitters to regulate mood.
Stimming can take many different forms: visual: staring off into space, drawing, spinning things like pens or coins. verbal/auditory: repeating sounds, excessive giggling, constantly clearing throat. tactile: rubbing fingers, chewing/biting nails, chewing the inside of cheeks.
There is no consensus on whether autism is a form of brain damage. Some researchers believe that autism is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, while others argue that it is a result of brain damage.
Compared with controls, people with autism have a slightly thinner temporal cortex, a large region associated with processing sounds and speech. They also have a thick frontal cortex, which governs complex social and cognitive processes.
Compared with their non-autistic peers, autistic children have significantly faster expansion of the surface area of their cortex from 6 to 12 months of age. In the second year of life, brain volume increases much faster in autistic children than in their non-autistic peers.
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.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn, and behave. Although autism can be diagnosed at any age, it is described as a “developmental disorder” because symptoms generally appear in the first 2 years of life.
Autism affects parts of the brain that control emotions, communication, and body movements. By the toddler years, some children with ASDs have unusually large heads and brains -- which may be because of problems with brain growth.
ADHD and autism spectrum disorders often mirror each other, which isn't much of a surprise – they're both conditions that affect a child's brain and developmental abilities. A child impacted by one or both conditions can have trouble with their abilities to communicate and focus, especially with social skills.
Children with ADHD often have difficulty paying attention to the same thing for too long, and they may get distracted easily. Autistic children may have a limited scope of interest. They may seem to obsess over things that they enjoy and have difficulty focusing on things that they have no interest in.
Sensory over-responsivity in ADHD is associated with anxiety. These children have a higher level of anxiety than those ADHD children without sensory overresponsivity and non-ADHD children. The hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis is influenced by tactile sensory overresponsivity in children with ADHD.