Autism and Biology
Autism
Autism can be described in many ways; it is an illness that can affect the communication, intelligence and socialization of an individual. According to the article The Immune System’s Role in the Biology of Autism by Paula Goines and Judy Van de Water states, “Neurodevelopmental diseases characterized by restricted interests, repetitive behaviors, and deficient language and social skills. While there are no concrete biological markers for the disorder, immune anomalies are frequently described among individuals with ASD and their family members.” There is new research regarding this disorder but at the present time the cause of ASD is largely unknown.
There are genetic, environmental, immunological and neurological factors that are thought to play a role in the development of this disorder. Past studies of ASD have been inconsistent and controversial. According to the Journal of Leukocyte Biology in the article The immune response in autism: a new frontier for autism research by Paul Ashwood, Sharifia Wills and Judy Van de Water states that the studies have been inconsistent because of the small sample sizes, inappropriate controls, and the lack of consideration for ASD phenotypic heterogeneity. In recent years the studies have fixed these concerns and a link has been made with immunological factor. This immunological connection to ASD is now becoming widely accepted.
Researchers are puzzled over what causes ASD they have come to an agreement that genetics and the environment play a role. Scientists have identified many genes that seem to be associated with this disorder. The studies suggest that there are irregularities in quite a few of the regions of the brain with people that have ASD. Moreover there are other studies that suggest that people with ASD show abnormal lever of serotonin and other neurotransmitters (Goines &Van de Water). The abnormalities imply that ASD may be a result from a disturbance caused during the early stages of fetal
Autism can be described in many ways; it is an illness that can affect the communication, intelligence and socialization of an individual. According to the article The Immune System’s Role in the Biology of Autism by Paula Goines and Judy Van de Water states, “Neurodevelopmental diseases characterized by restricted interests, repetitive behaviors, and deficient language and social skills. While there are no concrete biological markers for the disorder, immune anomalies are frequently described among individuals with ASD and their family members.” There is new research regarding this disorder but at the present time the cause of ASD is largely unknown.
There are genetic, environmental, immunological and neurological factors that are thought to play a role in the development of this disorder. Past studies of ASD have been inconsistent and controversial. According to the Journal of Leukocyte Biology in the article The immune response in autism: a new frontier for autism research by Paul Ashwood, Sharifia Wills and Judy Van de Water states that the studies have been inconsistent because of the small sample sizes, inappropriate controls, and the lack of consideration for ASD phenotypic heterogeneity. In recent years the studies have fixed these concerns and a link has been made with immunological factor. This immunological connection to ASD is now becoming widely accepted.
Researchers are puzzled over what causes ASD they have come to an agreement that genetics and the environment play a role. Scientists have identified many genes that seem to be associated with this disorder. The studies suggest that there are irregularities in quite a few of the regions of the brain with people that have ASD. Moreover there are other studies that suggest that people with ASD show abnormal lever of serotonin and other neurotransmitters (Goines &Van de Water). The abnormalities imply that ASD may be a result from a disturbance caused during the early stages of fetal
Cited: Ashwood, P., Wills, S., & Van de Water, J. (2006). The immune response in autism: a new frontier for autism research. Journal of Leukocyte Biology, 80(1), 1-15. Retrieved from http://www.jleukbio.org/content/80/1/1.full.pdf+html "Autism fact sheet," NINDS. (2009, September). Retrieved from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/ disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm Goines, P., & Van de Water, J. (2010). The immune system’s role in the biology of autism. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2898160/