Studied by 3 people
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
A neurological and developmental disorder that begins early in childhood and lasts throughout a person's life, characterized by a range of symptoms that affect communication, social interaction, and behaviour/interests
Prevalence of ASD
1 in 66, 78% diagnosed by age 8
male to female ratio is 4:1
Etiology of ASD
ASD is highly heritable
Genetic predisposition combined with an environmental impact
exposure to air pollutants
poor socioeconomic status
Risk factors of developing ASD
maternal diet: deficient in essential nutrients; affects gut microbiome and immune responses
folic acid status
maternal smoking, alcohol or drugs during pregnancy
maternal infection during pregnancy
advanced maternal and paternal age
Theory of Mind and how to test for it
the ability to attribute mental states to others, knowing that others are separate selves, with own points of view and feelings
the Sally-Anne test
Neurobiology of autism
ASD results from overall brain reorganization that begins early in development:
accelerated brain development early in life (“early brain overgrowth”)
morphological abnormalities at the microstructural level
Treatment for ASD
no pharmacotherapy available
Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA): emphasize play, social interaction and communication initiation; the “natural consequences” are the reward (controversial)
The Gut-Brain Axis
the gut microbiome can influence brain function, potentially affecting behaviours associated with autism
Mirror neuron system
provides a neurobiological basis for social cognition
mirror neurons respond to the understanding of an action, not to some superficial aspect of it
these neurons are found all throughout the cortex
they also play a role in empathy
