NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Causes of autism

Autism and autism spectrum disorders are complex neurodevelopmental disorders. Many causes of autism have been proposed, but its theory of causation is still incomplete.^[1] Heritability contributes about 90% of the risk of a child developing autism, but the genetics of autism are complex and typically it is unclear which genes are responsible.^[2] In rare cases, autism is strongly associated with agents that cause birth defects.^[3] Many other causes have been proposed, such as exposure of children to vaccines; these proposals are controversial and the vaccine hypotheses have no convincing scientific evidence.^[4] Autism is a brain development disorder characterized by impairments in social interaction and communication, and restricted and repetitive behavior, all exhibited before a child is three years old. ... The autistic spectrum (sometimes referred to as the autism spectrum) is a developmental and behavioral syndrome that results from certain combinations of characteristically autistic traits. ... Neurodevelopmental disorders such as fragile X syndrome and autism, are severe disabling conditions often associated with life-long impairment. ... This article is about the medical term. ... In genetics, heritability is the proportion of phenotypic variation in a population that is attributable to genetic variation among individuals. ... The heritability of autism is debated by psychology researchers, parents of children diagnosed with autism, and members of the autistic community. ... Teratology (from the Greek (genitive ), meaning monster, or marvel and , meaning word, speech) as early as 17th century referred to a discourse on prodigies and marvels, of anything so extraordinary as to seem abnormal. ... There is considerable disagreement over the exact nature of autism, however it is generally considered to be a neurodevelopmental condition which manifests itself in markedly abnormal social interaction, communication ability, patterns of interests, and patterns of behavior. ... Evidence-based medicine (EBM) or scientific medicine is an attempt to apply more uniformly the standards of evidence gained from the scientific method to certain aspects of medical practice. ...

Autism and related disorders

Autism is a condition involving abnormalities of brain development and behavior which manifests itself before a child is three years old and has a steady course with no remission. It is characterized by impairments in social interaction and communication, as well as restricted and repetitive behavior. It is part of a larger family called the autism spectrum disorders (ASD) or pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), which include closely related syndromes such as Asperger syndrome and PDD-NOS.^[5]^[6] This article uses autism to denote the classic autistic disorder and ASD to denote the wider family. Autism is a brain development disorder characterized by impairments in social interaction and communication, and restricted and repetitive behavior, all exhibited before a child is three years old. ... Autism is a brain development disorder characterized by impairments in social interaction and communication, and restricted and repetitive behavior, all exhibited before a child is three years old. ... Neurodevelopmental disorders such as fragile X syndrome and autism, are severe disabling conditions often associated with life-long impairment. ... Remission is the state of absence of disease activity in patients with known chronic illness. ... The autistic spectrum (sometimes referred to as the autism spectrum) is a developmental and behavioral syndrome that results from certain combinations of characteristically autistic traits. ... Asperger syndrome (also Aspergers syndrome, Aspergers disorder, Aspergers, AS, or AD) is one of several autism spectrum disorders (ASD) characterized by difficulties in social interaction and by restricted and stereotyped interests and activities. ... PDD not otherwise specified or PDD-NOS is a pervasive developmental disorder. ...

Autism's theory of causation is still incomplete.^[1] There is increasing suspicion among researchers that autism does not have a single cause, but is instead a complex disorder with a triad of core aspects (social impairment, communication difficulties, and repetitive behaviors) that have distinct causes but often co-occur.^[7] The number of people known to have autism has increased dramatically since the 1980s, at least partly due to changes in diagnostic practice; it is unknown whether prevalence has increased as well.^[8] An increase in prevalence would suggest directing more attention and funding toward changing environmental factors instead of continuing to focus on genetics. The consensus among mainstream autism researchers is that genetic factors predominate, but some are concerned, as one anonymous researcher put it, that "geneticists are running the show, and ignoring the environmental aspects."^[9] This article is about the medical term. ...

In 2007 the National Institutes of Health announced an Autism Centers of Excellence (ACE) research program to find the causes of autism and identify new treatments for the disorder. Initial recipients are focusing on genetic factors, brain imaging, brain chemicals and functions including mirror neurons, effect on early parent-child behavior on autism, and learning in autistic children.^[10] National Institutes of Health Building 50 at NIH Clinical Center - Building 10 The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical research. ... Locations of mirror neurons A mirror neuron is a neuron which fires both when an animal performs an action and when the animal observes the same action performed by another (especially conspecific) animal. ...

Genetics

Genetic factors are the most significant cause for autism spectrum disorders. Early studies of twins estimated heritability to be over 90%, in other words, that genetics explains over 90% of whether a child will develop autism.^[2] This may be an overestimate; new twin data and models with structural genetic variation are needed.^[11] Many of the non-autistic co-twins had learning or social disabilities. For adult siblings the risk for having one or more features of the broader autism phenotype might be as high as 30%.^[12] The heritability of autism is debated by psychology researchers, parents of children diagnosed with autism, and members of the autistic community. ... In genetics, heritability is the proportion of phenotypic variation in a population that is attributable to genetic variation among individuals. ...

The genetics of autism is complex.^[2] Linkage analysis has been inconclusive; many association analyses have had inadequate power.^[11] More than one gene may be implicated, different genes may be involved in different individuals, and the genes may interact with each other or with environmental factors. Several candidate genes have been located,^[13] but the mutations that increase autism risk have not been identified for most candidate genes. This article is about the general scientific term. ... Genetic linkage occurs when particular alleles are inherited together. ... This article may be too technical for most readers to understand. ... For other uses, see Gene (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that mutant be merged into this article or section. ...

Though autism's genetic factors explain most of autism risk, they do not explain all of it. A common hypothesis is that autism is caused by the interaction of a genetic predisposition and an early environmental insult.^[1] Several theories based on environmental factors have been proposed to address the remaining risk. Some of these theories focus on prenatal environmental factors, such as agents that cause birth defects; others focus on the environment after birth, such as children's diets. The heritability of autism is debated by psychology researchers, parents of children diagnosed with autism, and members of the autistic community. ...

A 2007 review of risk factors found associated parental characteristics that included advanced maternal age, advanced paternal age, and maternal place of birth outside Europe or North America. It is not known whether these associations reflect genetic, epigenetic, or environmental factors.^[14] A risk factor is a concept in finance theory such as the CAPM, APT and other theories that use pricing kernels. ... Epigenetic inheritance is the transmission of information from a cell or multicellular organism to its descendants without that information being encoded in the nucleotide sequence of the gene. ...

Prenatal environment

The risk of autism is associated with several prenatal risk factors. Autism has been linked to birth defect agents acting during the first eight weeks from conception, though these cases are rare. Other potential prenatal environmental factors do not have convincing scientific evidence. Prenatal means before birth (is widely used in biology). ... The acrosome reaction for a sea urchin, a similar process. ... Prenatal means before birth (is widely used in biology). ...

Teratogens

Teratogens are environmental agents that cause birth defects. Some agents that are known to cause other birth defects have also been found to be related to autism risk. These include exposure of the embryo to thalidomide, valproic acid, or misoprostol, or to rubella infection in the mother. These cases are rare.^[9] Questions have also been raised whether ethanol (grain alcohol) increases autism risk, as part of fetal alcohol syndrome or alcohol-related birth defects, but current evidence is insufficient to determine whether autism risk is actually elevated with ethanol.^[15] All known teratogens appear to act during the first eight weeks from conception, and though this does not exclude the possibility that autism can be initiated or affected later, it is strong evidence that autism arises very early in development.^[3] Infection-associated immunological events in early pregnancy may affect neural development more than infections in late pregnancy, not only for autism, but also for other psychiatric disorders of presumed neurodevelopmental origin, notably schizophrenia.^[16] Teratogenesis is a medical term from the Greek, literally meaning monster making. ... A congenital disorder is a medical condition or defect that is present at or before birth (for example, congenital heart disease). ... This article is about the drug. ... Valproic acid (VPA) is a chemical compound that has found clinical use as an anticonvulsant and mood-stabilizing drug, primarily in the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder. ... Misoprostol is a drug that is United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for the treatment and prevention of stomach ulcers. ... Rubella, commonly known as German measles, is a disease caused by the rubella virus. ... Grain alcohol redirects here. ... Fetal alcohol syndrome or FAS is a disorder of permanent birth defects that occurs in the offspring of women who drink alcohol during pregnancy. ...

Pesticides

A 2007 study by the California Department of Public Health found that women in the first eight weeks of pregnancy who live near farm fields sprayed with the organochlorine pesticides dicofol and endosulfan are several times more likely to give birth to children with autism. The association appeared to increase with dose and decrease with distance from field site to residence. The study's findings suggest that on the order of 7% of autism cases in the California Central Valley might have been connected to exposure to the insecticides drifting off fields into residential areas. These results are highly preliminary due to the small number of women and children involved and lack of evidence from other studies.^[17] It is not known whether these pesticides are human teratogens, though endosulfan has significant teratogenic effects in laboratory rats.^[18] An organochlorine compound is an organic compound of chlorine. ... the plane is spreading pesticide. ... Dicofol (4-Chloro-Î±-(4-chlorophenyl)-Î±-(trichloromethyl)benzenemethanol) is one of the last remaining, commonly-used organochlorine pesticides. ... Endosulfan Endosulfan is a cyclodiene insecticide with the formula C9H6Cl6O3S, also used under the name thiodan and benzoepin. ... The California Central Valley Part of the Valley as seen from overhead A typical Central Valley scene at ground level The California Central Valley is a large, flat valley that dominates the central portion of the U.S. state of California. ... Binomial name Rattus norvegicus (Berkenhout, 1769) The Brown Rat or Norway Rat (Rattus norvegicus) is one of the most well-known and common rats, and also one of the largest. ...

A 2005 study showed indirect evidence that prenatal exposure to organophosphate pesticides such as diazinon and chlorpyrifos may contribute to autism in genetically vulnerable children.^[19] Several other studies demonstrate the neurodevelopmental toxicity of these agents at relatively low exposure levels.^[20] An organophosphate (sometimes abbreviated OP) is the general name for esters of phosphoric acid and is one of the organophosphorus compounds. ... Diazinon Diazinon (O,O-diethyl 0-2-isopropyl-6-methyl(pyrimidine-4-yl) phosphorothioate), a colorless to dark brown liquid, is a nonsystemic organophosphate insecticide used to control cockroaches, silverfish, ants, and fleas in residential, non-food buildings. ... Chlorpyrifos Chlorpyrifos is a toxic crystalline organophosphate insecticide (C9H11Cl3NO3PS) that inhibits acetylcholinesterase and is used to control insect pests. ...

Folic acid

Folic acid taken during pregnancy might play an important role in causing autism by modulating gene expression through epigenetic mechanism. This hypothesis is untested.^[21] Folic acid and folate (the anion form) are forms of the water-soluble Vitamin B9. ... Gene expression, or simply expression, is the process by which the inheritable information which comprises a gene, such as the DNA sequence, is made manifest as a physical and biologically functional gene product, such as protein or RNA. Several steps in the gene expression process may be modulated, including the... Epigenetic inheritance is the transmission of information from a cell or multicellular organism to its descendants without that information being encoded in the nucleotide sequence of the gene. ...

Fetal testosterone

The fetal testosterone theory hypothesizes that higher levels of testosterone in the amniotic fluid of mothers pushes brain development towards improved ability to see patterns and analyze complex systems while diminishing communication and empathy, emphasizing "male" traits over "female", or in EQ SQ Theory terminology, emphasizing "systemizing" over "empathizing".^[22] One project has published several reports suggesting that high levels of fetal testosterone could produce behaviors relevant to those seen in autism.^[23] The theory and findings are controversial and many studies contradict the idea that baby boys and girls respond differently to people and objects.^[24] Testosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen group. ... The amniotic sac is a tough but thin transparent pair of membranes which holds a developing embryo (and later fetus) until shortly before birth. ... // EQ SQ Theory Simon Baron-Cohen, in his book, The Essential Difference: The Truth about the Male and Female Brain, hypothesizes that the female brain is predominantly hard-wired for empathy. ...

Ultrasound

A 2006 study found that sustained exposure of mouse embryos to ultrasound waves caused a small but statistically significant number of neurons to fail to acquire their proper position during neuronal migration.^[25] It is highly unlikely that this result speaks directly to risks of fetal ultrasound as practiced in competent and responsible medical centers.^[26] There is no scientific evidence of an association between prenatal ultrasound exposure and autism, but there are very little data on human fetal exposure during diagnostic ultrasound, and the lack of recent epidemiological research and human data in the field has been called "appalling".^[27] For other uses, see Ultrasound (disambiguation). ... The study of neural development draws on both neuroscience and developmental biology to describe the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which complex nervous systems emerge during embryonic development and throughout life. ...

Perinatal environment

Autism is associated with some perinatal and obstetric conditions. A 2007 review of risk factors found associated obstetric conditions that included low birth weight and gestation duration, and hypoxia during childbirth. This association does not demonstrate a causal relationship; an underlying cause could explain both autism and these associated conditions.^[14] A 2007 study of premature infants found that those who survived cerebellar hemorrhagic injury (bleeding in the brain that injures the cerebellum) were significantly more likely to show symptoms of autism than controls without the injury.^[28] Perinatal defines the period occurring around the time of birth (5 months before and 1 month after). ... This article needs cleanup. ... A risk factor is a concept in finance theory such as the CAPM, APT and other theories that use pricing kernels. ... Low birth weight is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a fetus who is delivered to a reproductive female at the end of a pregnancy at a weight of < 2500 grams (WHO, 1969). ... Gestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female viviparous animal. ... Hypoxia is a pathological condition in which the body as a whole (generalised hypoxia) or region of the body (tissue hypoxia) is deprived of adequate oxygen supply. ... Parturition redirects here. ... Premature birth (also known as preterm birth) is defined medically as childbirth occurring earlier than 37 completed weeks of gestation. ... The cerebellum (Latin: little brain) is a region of the brain that plays an important role in the integration of sensory perception and motor output. ...

Postnatal environment

A wide variety of postnatal contributors to autism have been proposed, including gastrointestinal or immune system abnormalities, allergies, and exposure of children to drugs, vaccines, infection, certain foods, or heavy metals. The evidence for these risk factors is anecdotal and has not been confirmed by reliable studies.^[4] The subject remains controversial and extensive further searches for environmental factors are underway.^[9] There is considerable disagreement over the exact nature of autism, however it is generally considered to be a neurodevelopmental condition which manifests itself in markedly abnormal social interaction, communication ability, patterns of interests, and patterns of behavior. ...

Leaky gut syndrome

Parents have reported gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances in autistic children, and several studies have investigated possible associations between autism and the gut.^[29] The controversial Wakefield et al. vaccine paper discussed in "MMR vaccine" below also suggested that some bowel disorders may allow antigens to pass from food into the bloodstream and then to contribute to brain dysfunction.^[30] This produced several lines of investigation. For the Physics term GUT, please refer to Grand unification theory The gastrointestinal or digestive tract, also referred to as the GI tract or the alimentary canal or the gut, is the system of organs within multicellular animals which takes in food, digests it to extract energy and nutrients, and...

For example, employing secretin's effects on digestion, a 1998 study of three children with ASD treated with secretin infusion reported improved GI function and dramatic improvement in behavior, which suggested an association between GI and brain function in autistic children.^[31] After this study, many parents sought secretin treatment and a black market for the hormone developed quickly.^[29] However, later studies found secretin ineffective in treating autism.^[32] Secretin is a peptide hormone produced in the S cells of the duodenum. ...

Leaky gut syndrome theories also inspired several dietary treatments, including gluten-free diets, casein-free diets, antifungal diets, low-sugar diets, as well as supplements that include nystatin, B₁₂, and probiotics. Parents are more likely to get advice about these diets from other parents, the media, and the Internet than from medical experts. There is no solid research evidence that autistic children are more likely to have GI symptoms than typical children.^[29] In particular, design flaws in studies of elimination diets mean that the currently available data are inadequate to guide treatment recommendations.^[33] Intestinal permeability or leaky gut syndrome is the term used to describe a situation where the lining of the gut has become damaged, allowing things which would normally be contained within the gut to leak into the bloodstream. ... A gluten-free diet, recommended in the treatment of celiac disease, is a diet completely free of ingredients derived from gluten-containing cereals: wheat (including Kamut and spelt), barley, rye, oats and triticale. ... Casein (from Latin caseus cheese) is the most predominant phosphoprotein found in milk and cheese. ... Nystatin (Nystan®, Infestat®, Nystamont®) is an polyene antimycotic drug Nystatin is considered one of the clean drugs as it has no proven side effects. ... Cobalamin or vitamin B12 is a chemical compound that is also known as cyanocobalamine. ... Probiotics are dietary supplements containing potentially beneficial bacteria. ...

Viral infection

Many studies have presented evidence for and against association of autism with viral infection after birth. Laboratory rats infected with Borna disease virus show some symptoms similar to those of autism but blood studies of autistic children show no evidence of infection by this virus. Members of the herpes virus family may have a role in autism, but the evidence so far is anecdotal. Viruses have long been suspected as triggers for immune-mediated diseases such as multiple sclerosis but showing a direct role for viral causation is difficult in those diseases, and mechanisms whereby viral infections could lead to autism are speculative.^[34] Borna disease is an infectious neurological syndrome of warm-blooded animals, which causes abnormal behaviour and fatality. ... Genera Subfamily Alphaherpesvirinae Simplexvirus Varicellovirus Mardivirus Iltovirus Subfamily Betaherpesvirinae Cytomegalovirus Muromegalovirus Roseolovirus Subfamily Gammaherpesvirinae Lymphocryptovirus Rhadinovirus Unassigned Ictalurivirus The Herpesviridae are a family of DNA viruses that cause diseases in humans and animals. ...

Oxidative stress

This theory hypothesizes that toxicity and oxidative stress may cause autism in some cases by damaging Purkinje cells in the cerebellum after birth. One possibility is that glutathione is involved.^[35] Oxidative stress is a medical term for damage to animal or plant cells (and thereby the organs and tissues composed of those cells) caused by reactive oxygen species, which include (but are not limited to) superoxide, singlet oxygen, peroxynitrite or hydrogen peroxide. ... Drawing of pigeon Purkinje cells (A) by Santiago Ramon y Cajal Purkinje cells are a class of GABAergic neuron located in the cerebellar cortex. ... The cerebellum (Latin: little brain) is a region of the brain that plays an important role in the integration of sensory perception and motor output. ... Glutathione (GSH) is a tripeptide. ...

Amygdala neurons

This theory hypothesizes that an early developmental failure involving the amygdala cascades on the development of cortical areas that mediate social perception in the visual domain. The fusiform face area of the ventral stream is implicated. The idea is that it is involved in social knowledge and social cognition, and that the deficits in this network are instrumental in causing autism.^[36] Look up Amygdala in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Fusiform face area (FFA) is a part of the human visual system which seems to specialize in facial recognition. ... The primate visual system consists of about thirty areas of the cerebral cortex called the visual cortex. ...

Vitamin D

This theory hypothesizes that autism is caused by vitamin D deficiency, and that recent increases in diagnosed cases of autism are due to medical advice to avoid the sun. The theory has not been studied scientifically.^[37] Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that contributes to the maintenance of normal levels of calcium and phosphorus in the bloodstream. ...

Lead

Lead poisoning has been suggested as a possible risk factor for autism, as the lead blood levels of autistic children has been reported to be significantly higher than typical. The atypical eating behaviors of autistic children, along with habitual mouthing and pica, make it hard to determine whether increased lead levels are a cause or a consequence of autism.^[38] Lead poisoning is a medical condition, also known as saturnism, plumbism or painters colic, caused by increased blood lead levels. ... Pica is an appetite for non-nutritive substances (e. ...

Mercury

This theory hypothesizes that autism is associated with mercury poisoning, based on perceived similarity of symptoms.^[39] The principal source of human exposure to organic mercury is via fish consumption and for inorganic mercury is dental amalgams. Other forms of exposure, such as in cosmetics and vaccines, also occur. The evidence so far is indirect for the association between autism and mercury exposure after birth, as no direct test has been reported, and there is no evidence of an association between autism and postnatal exposure to any neurotoxicant.^[40] Following US government action to evaluate levels of environmental toxins, including mercury, it has been claimed, particularly in the context of lawsuits, that thimerosal in childhood vaccines could contribute to, or cause, a range of neurodevelopmental disorders in children, most notably autism and related Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDDs), or other... It has been suggested that Acrodynia be merged into this article or section. ... An amalgam is an alloy of mercury. ...

A 2003 study reported that mercury measurements of hair samples from autistic children's first haircuts were significantly lower than a matched group of normal children, declining as measures of severity increased,^[41] but a later meta-analysis based on two studies found that there was not enough evidence to conclude that hair mercury level is lower in autistic children.^[42] A 2006 study found an association between autism and environmental releases of mercury, primarily from coal power plants; this study used Texas county-wide data and did not distinguish between prenatal and postnatal exposure.^[43]

Perhaps the best-known theory involving mercury and autism involves the use of the mercury-based compound thiomersal, a preservative that has been phased out from most childhood vaccinations in developed countries. Parents may first become aware of autistic symptoms in their child around the time of a routine vaccination. There is no convincing scientific evidence for a causal connection between thiomersal and autism, but parental concern about the thiomersal controversy has led to decreasing uptake of childhood immunizations and increasing likelihood of disease outbreaks.^[44] Thiomersal (INN) (C9H9HgNaO2S), formerly and still commonly known in the United States as thimerosal, is an organomercury compound (approximately 49% mercury by weight) used as an antiseptic and antifungal agent. ... A vial of the vaccine against influenza. ... Following US government action to evaluate levels of environmental toxins, including mercury, it has been claimed, particularly in the context of lawsuits, that thimerosal in childhood vaccines could contribute to, or cause, a range of neurodevelopmental disorders in children, most notably autism and related Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDDs), or other... A vaccination schedule is a recommended series of vaccinations including the suggested timing of all doses. ...

MMR vaccine

The MMR vaccine theory of autism is one of the most extensively debated theories regarding the origins of autism. A controversial 1998 paper by Andrew Wakefield et al. reported a study of 12 children who had autism and bowel symptoms, in some cases reportedly with onset after MMR. Though the paper concluded "We did not prove an association between measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine and the syndrome described,"^[30] Wakefield nevertheless suggested during a 1998 press conference that giving children the vaccines in three separate doses would be safer than a single jab. This suggestion was again not supported by the paper, his co-authors or by any scientific evidence^[45] and has been heavily criticized, both on scientific grounds and for triggering a decline in vaccination rates.^[44] Using separate, single vaccines in place of MMR is widely believed to put children at increased risk since the combined vaccine reduces the risk of them catching the diseases while they are waiting for full immunization cover.^[46] Numerous peer-reviewed studies have also since failed to show any association between MMR vaccine and autism.^[44] The MMR vaccine controversy is over the safety of the MMR vaccine. ... Andrew Wakefield (born 1956 in the United Kingdom) is a Canadian trained surgeon, best known as the lead author of a controversial 1998 research study, published in The Lancet, which reported bowel symptoms in a selected sample of twelve children with autistic spectrum disorders and other disabilities, and alleged a... Autism is a brain development disorder characterized by impairments in social interaction and communication, and restricted and repetitive behavior, all exhibited before a child is three years old. ...

In 2004, the interpretation of a causal link between MMR vaccine and autism was formally retracted by ten of Wakefield's twelve co-authors.^[47] The retraction followed an investigation by The Sunday Times.^[48] The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,^[49] the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences,^[50] and the U.K. National Health Service^[51] have all concluded that there is no evidence of a link between the MMR vaccine and autism. The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper distributed in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International which is in turn owned by News Corporation. ... The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, is recognized as the leading United States agency for protecting the public health and safety of people. ... The Institute of Medicine, a part of the National Academy of Sciences, is an American organization whose purpose is to provide national advice on issues relating to biomedical science, medicine, and health (National Academy of Sciences, n. ... President Harding and the National Academy of Sciences at the White House, Washington, DC, April 1921 The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine. ... â€œNHSâ€ redirects here. ...

In July 2007 Andrew Wakefield and coauthors John Walker-Smith and Simon Murch faced charges of serious professional misconduct at the General Medical Council. It is alleged that the trio acted unethically in preparing the research into safety of the MMR vaccine. Wakefield denies the charges.^[52] The General Medical Council (the GMC) is the regulator of the medical profession in the United Kingdom. ...

Television watching

Three economists hypothesized that early childhood television viewing acts as an environmental trigger for an underlying genetic predisposition. They found that precipitation was associated with autism by examining county-level autism data for California, Oregon, and Washington. Precipitation is also associated with television watching, and their analysis concluded that just under 40% of autism diagnoses in the three states result from television watching due to precipitation.^[53] This study has not been published in a refereed journal and its results have not been confirmed by others.^[54]

Refrigerator mother

Bruno Bettelheim believed that autism was linked to early childhood trauma, and his work was highly influential for decades both in the medical and popular spheres. Parents, especially mothers, of individuals with autism were blamed for having caused their child's condition through the withholding of affection.^[55] Leo Kanner, who first described autism,^[56] suggested that parental coldness might contribute to autism.^[57] Although Kanner eventually renounced the theory, Bettelheim put an almost exclusive emphasis on it in both his medical and his popular books. Treatments based on these theories failed to help children with autism, and after Bettelheim's death it came out that his reported rates of cure (around 85%) were found to be fraudulent.^[58] The term refrigerator mother was coined in the 1940s as a label for mothers of autistic children. ... Bruno Bettelheim (August 28, 1903 - March 13, 1990) was an Austrian-born American writer and child psychologist. ... Dr Leo Kanner MD Leo Kanner (June 13, 1894 - April 4, 1981) was an Austrian-American physician known for his work related to autism. ...

Other psychogenic theories

Psychogenic theories in general have become increasingly unpopular, particularly since twin studies have shown that autism is highly heritable. Nevertheless, some case reports have found that deep institutional privation can result in "quasi-autistic" features without the neuroanatomical differences.^[59]^[60] Other case reports have suggested that children predisposed genetically to autism can develop "autistic devices" in response to traumatic events such as the birth of a sibling.^[61]

Social construct

Like ADHD, which has a similar social construct theory,^[62] a spectral disorder such as autism may be understood as a cultural or social construct.^[63] The theory says that the boundary between normal and abnormal is subjective and arbitrary, so autism does not exist as an objective entity, but only as a social construct. It further argues that autistic individuals themselves have a way of being that is partly socially constructed.^[64] This theory does not say that there are no neurological or quality-of-life differences between groups deemed "autistic" and "non-autistic". To falsify this theory it would need to be shown that an objective characteristic can clearly separate both groups. For example, a genetic test that can fully substitute for a psychiatric diagnosis would undermine this theory.^[65] DISCLAIMER Please remember that Wikipedia is offered for informational use only. ... Social scientists and literary scholars have claimed that many things are social constructions or social constructs, or that they have been socially constructed. ... This page discusses how a theory or assertion is falsifiable (disprovable opp: verifiable), rather than the non-philosophical use of falsification, meaning counterfeiting. ...

Asperger syndrome and high-functioning autism are particular targets of the theory that social factors determine what it means to be autistic. The theory hypothesizes that individuals with these diagnoses inhabit the identities that have been ascribed to them, and promote their sense of well-being by resisting or appropriating autistic ascriptions.^[66] Asperger syndrome (also Aspergers syndrome, Aspergers disorder, Aspergers, AS, or AD) is one of several autism spectrum disorders (ASD) characterized by difficulties in social interaction and by restricted and stereotyped interests and activities. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

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Category: Autism Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 197th day of the year (198th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... Professor Sir Michael Rutter (b. ... Due to the epidemic of medical errors, readers are cautioned to be aware that the American Psychiatric Association isnt immune to this. ... The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association, is the handbook used most often in diagnosing mental disorders in the United States and other countries. ... â€œWHOâ€ redirects here. ... The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (commonly known by the abbreviation ICD) is a detailed description of known diseases and injuries. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 214th day of the year (215th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For information on Wikipedia press releases, see Wikipedia:Press releases. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 215th day of the year (216th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... Simon Baron-Cohen is a British professor of developmental psychopathology in the departments of psychiatry and experimental psychology at the University of Cambridge, a Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, and director of the Autism Research Centre at the University of Cambridge, in the United Kingdom. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 254th day of the year (255th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 254th day of the year (255th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 271st day of the year (272nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 344th day of the year (345th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... Andrew Wakefield (born 1956 in the United Kingdom) is a Canadian trained surgeon, best known as the lead author of a controversial 1998 research study, published in The Lancet, which reported bowel symptoms in a selected sample of twelve children with autistic spectrum disorders and other disabilities, and alleged a... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 164th day of the year (165th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 164th day of the year (165th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 208th day of the year (209th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 293rd day of the year (294th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 209th day of the year (210th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Bruno Bettelheim (August 28, 1903 - March 13, 1990) was an Austrian-born American writer and child psychologist. ... Dr Leo Kanner MD Leo Kanner (June 13, 1894 - April 4, 1981) was an Austrian-American physician known for his work related to autism. ... Martin Gardner (b. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Autistic spectrum, autism spectrum, autistic spectrum disorders, autism spectrum disorders and ASD are all synonymous designations for the more official terminology in DSM-IV and ICD-10, where the term Pervasive Developmental Disorders, ( PDD) is being used. ... There are many comorbid disorders associated with autism spectrum disorders and Aspergers Syndrome. ... The heritability of autism is debated by psychology researchers, parents of children diagnosed with autism, and members of the autistic community. ... The reported incidence of autism varies considerably among countries and is complicated by varying criteria for diagnosing autism, different standards for reporting public health problems, and other possible variations. ... Autism (also called autistic disorder, infantile autism, Kanners syndrome or Kanner syndrome) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that manifests itself before the age of three years. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Biomedical intervention for autism. ... Asperger syndrome (also Aspergers syndrome, Aspergers disorder, Aspergers, AS, or AD) is one of several autism spectrum disorders (ASD) characterized by difficulties in social interaction and by restricted and stereotyped interests and activities. ... Autism is a brain development disorder characterized by impairments in social interaction and communication, and restricted and repetitive behavior, all exhibited before a child is three years old. ... Childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD), also known as Hellers syndrome and disintegrative psychosis, is a rare condition characterized by late onset (>3 years of age) of developmental delays in language, social function, and motor skills. ... Fragile X syndrome is a syndrome of X-linked mental retardation. ... Hyperlexia is a syndrome in which the main characteristics are an above normal ability to read coupled with a below normal ability to understand spoken language. ... Multiple-complex Developmental Disorder (McDD) represents a distinct group within the autistic spectrum based on symptomatology. ... PDD not otherwise specified or PDD-NOS is a pervasive developmental disorder. ... A woman with Retts Syndrome Rett syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is classified as a pervasive developmental disorder by the DSM-IV. Many [1] argue that this is a mis-classification just as it would be to include such disorders as fragile X syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, or Down... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... It has been suggested that Sensory processing disorder be merged into this article or section. ... There is considerable disagreement over the exact nature of autism, however it is generally considered to be a neurodevelopmental condition which manifests itself in markedly abnormal social interaction, communication ability, patterns of interests, and patterns of behavior. ... Andrew Wakefield (born 1956 in the United Kingdom) is a Canadian trained surgeon, best known as the lead author of a controversial 1998 research study, published in The Lancet, which reported bowel symptoms in a selected sample of twelve children with autistic spectrum disorders and other disabilities, and alleged a... This box: The autism rights movement (which has also been called autistic self-advocacy movement [1] and autistic liberation movement [2]) was started by adult autistic individuals in order to advocate and demand tolerance for what they refer to as neurodiversity. ... Autistic enterocolitis is a controversial term first used by British gastroenterologist Andrew Wakefield to describe a number of common clinical symptoms and signs which he contends are distinctive to autism. ... Biomedical intervention for autism consists of a wide range of therapeutic approaches for treating - and some say curing - autism in children, adolescents, and possibly adults. ... Chelation therapy is the administration of chelating agents to remove heavy metals from the body. ... Ethical challenges to autism treatment have been made by people who feel that autism therapies intended to be helpful are actually harmful to autistic people. ... Generation Rescue is a nonprofit organization which was founded by parents united by their belief that many childhood neurological disorders, such as autism, Aspergers syndrome, ADHD, speech delay, sensory integration disorder and other developmental delays, are the effects of a primary diagnosis of mercury poisoning and related complications. ... Neurodiversity is an idea that asserts that atypical (neurodivergent) neurological wiring is a normal human difference that is to be tolerated and respected as any other human difference. ... The term refrigerator mother was coined in the 1940s as a label for mothers of autistic children. ... The Coalition for Safe Minds (Sensible Action For Ending Mercury-Induced Neurological Disorders) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to investigating the risks of exposure to mercury from medical products. ... This is a list of autism-related topics. ... Fictional characters described by the authors as having conditions on the autistic spectrum. ... Further reading on the topic of Asperger syndrome: [Attwood, Tony]; foreword by Lorna Wing (1998). ... This is a list of noteworthy people known to have a condition on the autistic spectrum. ... A number of famous people have been speculated by reputable sources to have had autistic disorder or Asperger syndrome. ... Infinity logo as a positive representation of autism Aspies For Freedom is a group which is at the forefront of the autism rights movement. ... The Autism Society of America, founded in 1965 by Bernard Rimland, Ph. ... Autism Speaks was founded in February, 2005 by Bob Wright and his wife Suzanne, to help find a cure for autism, a year after their grandson, Christian, was given the diagnosis. ... The National Autism Association (NAA) is a non-profit advocacy organization founded to educate and empower families affected by autism and other neurological disorders. ... The National Autistic Society (NAS) is the United Kingdoms most prominent autism-related charity. ... Wrong Planet (sometimes referred to by its URL, WrongPlanet. ...

Contents

Autism and related disorders GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");