Autism is a neurological disorder that leads to impairments in communication, ability to learn, and social relatedness. Simply put, autism leads to a child to retreat into an inner world. Little is known in regards to the causes, care and prevention of autism. Due to the fact that the main causes of autism in children are not well understood, targeted prevention is difficult. No one knows exactly what leads to Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), but scientists think that both genetic and environmental components may play a role. Until the mid 1990's, investigation into the causes of autism was limited to a few dedicated individuals who received little funding. During the 1990s, there has been a substantial push to promote research into the causes of autism. Amazingly, it took a good number of years for researchers to in the end say without an uncertainty that cold parents are not one of the Autism causes. Patients, researchers and Physicians from around the world have banded together to begin to crack the mystery of what causes autism. The good news is that research is appearing to reveal autism's causes and signs, in particular evidence of a genetic link. This research reflects a shift in scientific thought about what affects autism, and a push to look harder at possible environmental influences. The Autism Research Center (www.autismresearchcentre.com) conducts research and disseminates results on the causes of autism and on methods of avoiding, diagnosing and treating the disorder. Research suggests that there may be different different autism causes.
Asperger Syndrome and Autism
Though autism's causes are murky, one fact about the syndrome is clear: it runs in households. Some people with autism, largely males, have fragile X syndrome, which leads to mental retardation. Current thought among most stipulates that the causes of Asperger syndrome are the same as those of autism. Some disagree, arguing that Asperger syndrome and autism have different causes.
Autism Disorder
Autism leads to impairments in communication, ability to learn, and social relatedness. It has turn out to be clear that genetic factors contribute substantially to the presence of the disorder. Autism, also referred as infantile autism or autistic disease, is a lifelong disorder that causes abnormal neurological development. The causes of autism are poorly comprehended, though it is obvious that autism is a biological brain disorder.
Autism Research
Research into the causes of autism spectrum disorders is being fueled by recent research developments. The U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) carries on to support researching into the causes and treatments for autism spectrum disorders. The CDC is committed to protecting the well being of children and to distinguishing the biological and environmental causes of autism and additional developmental disabilities. The good news is that research is starting to reveal autism's causes and signs, in particular evidence of a genetic link. For instance, there is a global research project aiming to pin down the genetic causes of autism by studying 6,000 DNA samples from families affected. NIH research on likely genetic, infectious, immunological, and environmental causes and mechanisms of autism continues.
MMR vaccination
Contemporary scientific evidence does not confirm that MMR vaccine, or any combination of vaccines, signals the development of autism, including regressive forms of autism. In any case, a small but vocal group of parents have taken to declaring that thimerosal causes autism. Many parents blame vaccines for the explosion in autism, which leads to bizarre repetitive behavior and an inability to establish emotional ties. There is a theory out there that MMR vaccination with thimerosol causes autism in young children. If thimerosal causes autism, the prevalence of the disorder should have declined as the chemical was removed from vaccines. This is not supported by the facts. Current scientific evidence does not confirm that MMR vaccine, or any combination of vaccines, causes the development of autism, in conjunction with regressive forms of autism. However, determination of whether MMR vaccination leads to autism is best made by studying the incidence of autism in both vaccinated and un-vaccinated children. These studies supply minimal evidence to support a hypothesis that MMR vaccination affects autism. Even if measles virus were consistently shown to be present in intestinal specimens of children, this would not conclusively imply that measles causes autism. Therefore, these findings return evidence against the hypothesis that MMR vaccination causes autism.
New Autism Research Clues
Although researchers aren't sure just what leads to the brain's wiring to go awry, reports imply that autism's bases lie in a person's genes. Over-emphasis on genetic aspects may not take sufficient account of several causes that are needed to explain the distinct types of autism. Even for the autism-spectrum disorders with known genetic causes, the molecular mechanism of pathology is not well comprehended. Studies of a Massachusetts town have attributed autism to congenital environmental causes. In some cases, autism may cause the body's natural painkillers, called endorphins, to go overly far in suppressing feeling. More than likely several causes and etiological pathways lead to disorders in the autism spectrum. Most believe autism to have a good number of potential causes. In the effort to identify autism's causes, researchers had long endeavored to pinpoint precisely when the disorder begins. A peptide found in schizophrenia and autism causes behavioral changes in rats. In fact, the only proven genetic causes of autism to date are well-defined syndromes like the Fragile X chromosome anomaly. Because autism itself and its causes are so perplexing, the international symbol for autism is a puzzle piece. It is usually accepted that autism is caused by abnormalities in brain structures. Potential molecular causes of autism and other neurological disorders may be associated with mis-folding of proteins. NICHD researchers are looking into a variety of possible causes for both early onset and regressive autism. Some people with autism have mutations in the Pten gene, but it is unclear if that's what causes the disorder. Genetic factors and brain abnormalities at birth are thought to be to be some of the most recognized causes of autism.
Possible Causes of Autism
Infection of pregnant woman with "wild" rubella virus is one of the few known causes of autism. A peptide found in schizophrenia and autism leads to behavioral changes in rats. There are other mechanisms of autism besides peptides, although maybe as much as 80% are peptide mediated. The causes of autism have long baffled investigators and frustrated parents. Theories about potential autism causes include genetics, environmental toxins, infections, and even vaccinations. Many additional hypotheses, such as the consumption of folic acid in pregnancy, have been proposed as possible causes of autism. Congenital rubella, HIV, and herpes simplex have all been implied as possible autism causes. While the causes of autism still remain a mystery, it has become clear that genetic factors contribute importantly to the presence of the disorder. Though autism's causes are hidden, one reality about the syndrome is clear: it runs in households.
Conclusion
We don't know exactly what causes autism, but we do understand that both genes and environment are engaged. There is no theory of the cause of autism which everybody has found convincing. However, parenting behaviors are not the basis or a contributing factor to the cause or causes of autism. The popular theory now is that people can be born with a genetic predisposition that, coupled with some environmental trigger, causes autism. Due to the fact that the disorder is so complex, and because no two people with autism are precisely alike, autism is likely the result of many causes. Nothing will make the search for autism's causes simple.
