Neurophysiology Of Autism
Introduction
In order to understand the causes of autism, biologically, environmentally, cognitively, one must understand what autism truly is. According to the American Psychiatric Association, autism spectrum disorder is defined by impairment in social interaction and communication skills, as well as an occurrence of repetitive behavior along with a need for a routine (APA, 2000). The American child psychologist Leo Kanner first described the condition in 1943 (Funk & Wagnalls, 2014). It is an extremely common disorder, affecting one child out of very 110 (Centers for Disease Control [CDC], 2009). Usually children are not diagnosed until the age of three and many researchers state that the development of autism occurs between birth and …show more content…
the age of three (CDC, 2009). The main focus of this essay will be to research the question: to what extent are the etiologies of autism primarily biological.
As biology and genetics have been seen to affect the development of autism, it is important to understand the different parts of the body that play a role in a child’s development.
The main system that is studied in regard to autism is the brain and limbic system. Biological factors include genetics, heritability, neurological functions and epigenetics. An individual’s genetic makeup and neurological function can greatly influence their chances of developing autism or being born with the disorder as seen by the thorough research done by scientists to determine the exact causes of this disorder. Funk and Wagnalls, researchers from the New World Encyclopedia, have described some of the most common causes of autism that researchers have found. Still, the exact cause of autism is unknown and widely debated because of its complex nature and large variety from person to person. Each child that is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder exhibits a different range of symptoms, which furthers the difficulty in trying to pinpoint exact triggers. Many times, people can have a low prevalence of physical markers that determine if they’re on the spectrum. One of the main causes of autism that researchers have discovered is that children with autism have a decrease in Purkinje cells (Funk and Wagnalls, 2014). Purkinje cells are important in the coordination of movement and can also play a role in higher brain function, such as planning and language. Purkinje cells are located in the cerebral cortex and transmit many different signals to this part of the brain. The brains of children with autism have been studied in depth and there is noticeable lack of these vital cells.
Many times, biological causes can be triggered by
Many times biological causes can be triggered by environmental factors
DSM-IV
In order to understand the causes of autism, biologically, environmentally, cognitively, one must understand what autism truly is. According to the American Psychiatric Association, autism spectrum disorder is defined by impairment in social interaction and communication skills, as well as an occurrence of repetitive behavior along with a need for a routine (APA, 2000). The American child psychologist Leo Kanner first described the condition in 1943 (Funk & Wagnalls, 2014). It is an extremely common disorder, affecting one child out of very 110 (Centers for Disease Control [CDC], 2009). Usually children are not diagnosed until the age of three and many researchers state that the development of autism occurs between birth and …show more content…
the age of three (CDC, 2009). The main focus of this essay will be to research the question: to what extent are the etiologies of autism primarily biological.
As biology and genetics have been seen to affect the development of autism, it is important to understand the different parts of the body that play a role in a child’s development.
The main system that is studied in regard to autism is the brain and limbic system. Biological factors include genetics, heritability, neurological functions and epigenetics. An individual’s genetic makeup and neurological function can greatly influence their chances of developing autism or being born with the disorder as seen by the thorough research done by scientists to determine the exact causes of this disorder. Funk and Wagnalls, researchers from the New World Encyclopedia, have described some of the most common causes of autism that researchers have found. Still, the exact cause of autism is unknown and widely debated because of its complex nature and large variety from person to person. Each child that is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder exhibits a different range of symptoms, which furthers the difficulty in trying to pinpoint exact triggers. Many times, people can have a low prevalence of physical markers that determine if they’re on the spectrum. One of the main causes of autism that researchers have discovered is that children with autism have a decrease in Purkinje cells (Funk and Wagnalls, 2014). Purkinje cells are important in the coordination of movement and can also play a role in higher brain function, such as planning and language. Purkinje cells are located in the cerebral cortex and transmit many different signals to this part of the brain. The brains of children with autism have been studied in depth and there is noticeable lack of these vital cells.
Many times, biological causes can be triggered by
Many times biological causes can be triggered by environmental factors
DSM-IV