What do you think causes ASD?

[OlLiE]

genetic roulette on a grand scale, with parents that genetically carry relevant parts of the required genetic code? potentially with outside influences that can negatively affect the probability

 

[Chance]

IM only interested as id like the hypersensitivity to noise odour and light to stop

Wouldn't that be the coolest thing to not have your ears hurt because of sound, or not want to puke because of certain smells other people don't even notice?

I'm selfish, so I want to add in no shutdowns, no depression either : )

 

[radasp]

Oh dear! There is no "cause" for ASD - ASD is a "grab bag" for what are considered to be defects in development. ASD IS NOT A MEDICAL CONDITION. It's a system for labeling individuals who have "social" difficulties for many different reasons, from birth defects to, to learning problems, to childhood trauma and a zillion other real or imaginary "causes". Each individual person has a cause or causes that may explain their social difficulties. There IS NO condition that is "ASD" - it is MANY conditions.

 

[LittleFiddle05]

My own theory is that Autism is not one, but several conditions that are often comorbid but not yet really separated. I work in autism research looking at cortical thickness, and a recent project has been using the autism quotient as a correlate with cortical thickness. When we looked at overall AQ score, there was almost nothing, but when we looked at the subscales, we found several different regions, depending on the subscale in question. Turns out the subscales don't correlate all that strongly with one another - hence why if you've met one person with Autism, you've met one person with Autism. We also know that administering oxytocin during a social perception task (perceiving biological motion) activates a region of the brain that helps facilitate social learning, and an in-progress experiment is investigating whether that activation also leads to increased performance.

I think ASD has several genetic causes that lead to differences in neurological development. It's also possible that the gut microbiome is also atypical and leads to different nutrients being processed at different rates, which would affect which nutrients reach the brain, but I'm wary of that theory because it ties so closely into a lot of fads that are so ineffective and warped. That said, ASD is more highly correlated with being overweight than any other developmental disorder, and while we're trying to find out why, it is interesting to consider the possibility that the gut microbiome could be involved after all. Mostly though I'm more inclined to look at the neurological structure, because that's the part I know and understand. Yes I'm biased

 

[Streetwise]

so now its a lack of oxytocin as well as trytophan well IM stuffed in the UK

My own theory is that Autism is not one, but several conditions that are often comorbid but not yet really separated. I work in autism research looking at cortical thickness, and a recent project has been using the autism quotient as a correlate with cortical thickness. When we looked at overall AQ score, there was almost nothing, but when we looked at the subscales, we found several different regions, depending on the subscale in question. Turns out the subscales don't correlate all that strongly with one another - hence why if you've met one person with Autism, you've met one person with Autism. We also know that administering oxytocin during a social perception task (perceiving biological motion) activates a region of the brain that helps facilitate social learning, and an in-progress experiment is investigating whether that activation also leads to increased performance.

I think ASD has several genetic causes that lead to differences in neurological development. It's also possible that the gut microbiome is also atypical and leads to different nutrients being processed at different rates, which would affect which nutrients reach the brain, but I'm wary of that theory because it ties so closely into a lot of fads that are so ineffective and warped. That said, ASD is more highly correlated with being overweight than any other developmental disorder, and while we're trying to find out why, it is interesting to consider the possibility that the gut microbiome could be involved after all. Mostly though I'm more inclined to look at the neurological structure, because that's the part I know and understand. Yes I'm biased

 

[LittleFiddle05]

so now its a lack of oxytocin as well as trytophan well IM stuffed in the UK

Not necessarily a lack of oxytocin, we just know that administering oxytocin activates a certain brain region during a social perception task. It could be that we have plenty of oxytocin and extra just activates that region, it could be activating that region doesn't actually improve performance much anyway, etc. But maybe our oxytocin levels are atypical somehow

 

[Fridgemagnetman]

Bad attitude.



We should all just sort ourselves out and pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps.
Stop causing problems for people who don't want to think.

Note to self :
Buy bootstraps.

 

[ZebraAutismo]

Genetics.

 

[Warmheart]

 

[Streetwise]

but what about Williams syndrome ?

 

[Warmheart]

 

[Streetwise]

Not necessarily a lack of oxytocin, we just know that administering oxytocin activates a certain brain region during a social perception task. It could be that we have plenty of oxytocin and extra just activates that region, it could be activating that region doesn't actually improve performance much anyway, etc. But maybe our oxytocin levels are atypical somehow

does GW do clinical trials for anxiety and autism in d.c

 

[Bolletje]

Genetics. I'm not up to date with the current literature though, so I don't have any ideas about which specific genes are the culprits

 

[Ylva]

but what about Williams syndrome ?

What about Williams syndrome?

 

[Bolletje]

but what about Williams syndrome ?

Williams syndrome is the result of a deletion of genes on chromosome 7

 

[Ylva]

Bad attitude.



We should all just sort ourselves out and pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps.
Stop causing problems for people who don't want to think.

Note to self :
Buy bootstraps.

Why are you tripping yourself?

 

[Waltram]

There are hundreds of genes that have been linked to ASD. One that I'd like to investigate more is HLA-DR, a gene linked to immunity and notably fungal infections. I have started a separate discussion about it here last year.

 

[Katleya]

So now is the time where I'm allowed to rant again about the comorbidity between ASD and Ehlers-Danlos, a comorbidity mostly manifests itself in cognitive functions and sensitivity (mostly sound, light, and some touch), proprioception (shout out to the clumsy Aspies), and possibly in muscle hypotonia. The amount of overlapping is pretty significant.
Ehlers-Danlos is pure genetics, with varying levels of expression among affected family members, to the point that some barely show any signs. The genes for most types of EDS have been identified, only the hypermobile type is still lacking a pinpointed gene.
I'm terrible at explaining the mechanics behind it, but soft connective tissues are affected because of a collagen deficit or absence, and collagen is a protein.

On a side note, this is how I get my melatonin 100% covered by my insurance: they couldn't care less about adult Asperger's sleep issues because it's easier to sell sleeping pills (which have zero effect on me aside from the side effects), but because it's prescribed for EDS, I still manage to have it, and this is probably the one silver lining.
I was discussing my theory with the ASD specialist I'm seeing that maybe they are actually both expressions of a common genetic variation, and she was sorry there wasn't more research on the topic, but also how frustrating it was that she could detect that many patients of her showed signs of both ASD and EDS, but would not be too happy to come into her office for one diagnosis, and come out with a "bonus" diagnosis (I can totally understand that).

I'm sorry I don't have articles to link here, the only one I was ever able to find is an extract from a paper in Spanish, but if anyone's interested, I'll see if I can find it again (I only have a paper copy).

 

[Katleya]

I've had my DNA sequenced which is what actually brought me to my self-diagnosis, it is fascinating.

@Keigan, I would love for you to elaborate on why it's fascinating, I'm really struggling to decide whether I want to have my DNA sequenced. Some days I'm determined to do it, and other days I get into conspiracy theory mode and feel that it would be like taking part in research to help eliminate us. So, umm, any further info you have on the sequencing would be greatly appreciated

 

[Keigan]

I'll start a thread on DNA sequencing and studies published to date some time this weekend.