Medications

Study eases concern at antipsychotics use in pregnancy

Antipsychotics—a branch of medication designed to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder—are important tools for mental health care management. They work by blocking the effect of dopamine, which can help reduce psychotic ...

Autism spectrum disorders

How autism is diagnosed

According to the advocacy group Autism Speaks, one in every 36 U.S. children has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Psychology & Psychiatry

Adults with ADHD exhibit camouflaging behavior

Adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) exhibit camouflaging behavior, but to a lesser extent than those with autism, according to a study published online Feb. 7 in Autism Research.

Psychology & Psychiatry

Neuronal circuit sheds light on the biological basis of curiosity

Scientists at the Leibniz Institute of Neurobiology (LIN) in Magdeburg have been able to demonstrate for the first time a previously only suspected neuronal circuit between two key regions of the brain. There is a dynamic ...

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Autism

Autism is 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.

Parents usually notice signs in the first two years 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 from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA