PSYC152 - Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder

A developmental disability affecting social interactions

Leo Kanner

Described ASD as "infantile" in 1943

Refrigerator Mothers

Outdated theory linking parenting (specifically child neglect) to autism

Neurodevelopmental Disorder

Current consensus on ASD's biological basis

Criteria for Diagnosis

Social interaction and communication deficits; restricted or repetitive behaviors, interests, activities; Early childhood onset

Examples of social communication or interaction deficits

Missing nonverbal cues; issues with understanding others perspectives (Theory of Mind); Deficits in maintaining, developing, or understanding relationships with others

Restrictive behavior, interest, activities examples

Marked distress from minor changes in routine, repetitive movements or use of objects, preoccupation with abnormal interests, hyper or hyposensitive to sensory inputs

Echolalia

Repetition of phrases or sounds; can happen immediately or later

Gender Ratio

ASD is more common in boys than girls

Comorbidities of ASD

Intellectual disabilities, anxiety disorders, specific phobias

Amygdala

Smaller volume of this structure is associated with difficulties in perceiving peoples' faces

Overgrown structures in the brain

Frontal lobe, temporal lobe, cerebellar regions; associated with socioemotional and language functions

Heritability

Highly heritable

Thimerosal

A derivative of mercury used in vaccines that was once thought to cause autism

Howlin (2004) Results

A study w/ 68 ASD people that found that 13% of them had an academic degree, 23% employed, 18% formed close friendships, 39% had very poor or poor outcomes