Neuroscience

Scientists uncover key factor in neocortex development

Scientists at the Texas A&M University College of Medicine have made a breakthrough discovery about the development of the brain. This new information contributes to our understanding of how the part of the brain that makes ...

Genetics

Broad spectrum of autism depends on spectrum of genetic factors

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is referred to as a "spectrum" because clinical features of ASD range from mild social impairments in some people to severe intellectual disability or epilepsy in others. Genetic studies have ...

Autism spectrum disorders

Could beating drums help beat autism?

The percussive skill needed to bang out rhythms on a drum may help improve socializing, inhibition control and focus among teens with autism, new research suggests.

Neuroscience

How sleep builds relational memory

Relational memory is the ability to remember arbitrary or indirect associations between objects, people or events, such as names with faces, where you left your car keys and whether you turned off the stove after cooking ...

Medications

Prenatal exposure to certain antiseizure meds linked to autism

Prenatal exposure to topiramate, valproate, and certain duotherapies is associated with increased risks for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID), according to a study published online May 31 in ...

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Autism

Autismis a brain development disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism involves many parts of the brain; how this occurs is not well understood. The two other autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are Asperger syndrome, which lacks delays in cognitive development and language, and PDD-NOS, diagnosed when full criteria for the other two disorders are not met.

Autism has a strong genetic basis, although the genetics of autism are complex and it is unclear whether ASD is explained more by rare mutations, or by rare combinations of common genetic variants. In rare cases, autism is strongly associated with agents that cause birth defects. Controversies surround other proposed environmental causes, such as heavy metals, pesticides or childhood vaccines; the vaccine hypotheses are biologically implausible and lack convincing scientific evidence. The prevalence of ASD is about 6 per 1,000 people, with about four times as many males as females. The number of people known to have autism has increased dramatically since the 1980s, partly due to changes in diagnostic practice; the question of whether actual prevalence has increased is unresolved.

父母通常注意在第一个两年的迹象s of their child's life. Although early behavioral or cognitive intervention can help children gain self-care, social, and communication skills, there is no known cure. Not many children with autism live independently after reaching adulthood, though some become successful. An autistic culture has developed, with some individuals seeking a cure and others believing autism should be tolerated as a difference and not treated as a disorder.

This text uses material fromWikipedia, licensed underCC BY-SA