The excellent news is that research is starting 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 likely environmental influences. Autism is a neurological disease that causes impairments in communication, ability to learn, and social relatedness. Simply put, autism causes a child to retreat into an inner universe. Little is known about the causes, treatment and prevention of autism. Because the primary causes of autism in children are not greatly understood, targeted prevention is difficult. Amazingly, it took many years for researchers to finally say without a doubt 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 leads to autism. The Autism Research Center (www.autismresearchcentre.com) conducts research and disseminates results on the causes of autism and on methods of averting, diagnosing and treating the disorder. Research shows that there may be several different autism causes. No one knows exactly what leads to Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), but scientists think that both genetic and environmental factors may play a role. Until the mid 1990's, probing into the causes of autism was limited to a few dedicated individuals who received little financing. During the 1990s, there has been an extensive drive to promote investigation into the causes of autism.
Asperger Syndrome and Autism
Though autism's causes are murky, one thing about the syndrome is clear: it runs in households. Some people with autism, largely males, have fragile X syndrome, which instigates mental retardation. The most recent 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.
New Autism Research Clues
Most believe autism to have numerous possible causes. In the attempt to identify autism's causes, researchers had long endeavored to pinpoint precisely when the disorder begins. A peptide found in schizophrenia and autism leads to behavioral changes in rats. In truth, the only proven genetic causes of autism to date are well-defined syndromes like the Fragile X chromosome anomaly. Studies of a Massachusetts town have attributed autism to congenital environmental causes. In some cases, autism may signal the body's natural painkillers, called endorphins, to go overly far in suppressing feeling. Likely several causes and etiological pathways lead to disorders in the autism spectrum. Because autism itself and its initiation are so confusing, the international symbol for autism is a puzzle piece. It is mainly accepted that autism is caused by abnormalities in brain structures. Possible molecular causes of autism and other neurological disorders might 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 disease. Genetic factors and brain abnormalities at birth are thought to be to be some of the most recognized causes of autism. Although researchers aren't sure just what leads to the brain's wiring to go awry, reports imply that autism's roots lie in a person's genes. Over-emphasis on genetic aspects may not take an adequate amount of account of various 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.
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 significantly to the presence of the disorder. Though autism's causes are hidden, one fact about the syndrome is clear: it runs in families. 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 further hypotheses, such as the consumption of folic acid in pregnancy, have been proposed as probable 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.
Autism Research
NIH research on probable genetic, infectious, immunological, and environmental causes and mechanisms of autism carries on. Research into the causes of autism spectrum disorders is being fueled by recent research developments. The U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) continues to support researching into the causes and treatments for autism spectrum disorders. The CDC is committed to protecting the health of children and to recognizing the biological and environmental causes of autism and other 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.
MMR vaccination
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. Contemporary scientific evidence does not demonstrate that MMR vaccine, or any combination of vaccines, leads to the development of autism, including regressive forms of autism. Nevertheless, a small but vocal group of parents have taken to alleging that thimerosal causes autism. 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 substantiate that MMR vaccine, or any combination of vaccines, causes the development of autism, including regressive forms of autism. However, determination of whether MMR vaccination instigates autism is best made by studying the incidence of autism in both vaccinated and un-vaccinated children. These studies supply little evidence to validate a hypothesis that MMR vaccination leads to autism. Even if measles virus were consistently shown to be present in intestinal specimens of children, this would not conclusively indicate that measles causes autism. Therefore, these findings provide evidence against the hypothesis that MMR vaccination causes autism.
Autism Disorder
Autism causes impairments in communication, ability to learn, and social relatedness. It has turn out to be obvious that genetic elements contribute considerably to the occurrence of the disorder. Autism, also referred as infantile autism or autistic disorder, is a lifelong disease that causes abnormal neurological development. The causes of autism are poorly comprehended, although it is obvious that autism is a biological brain disorder.
Conclusion
The popular theory now is that people can be born with a genetic predisposition that, coupled with a little environmental trigger, causes autism. Because the disorder is so complex, and because no two people with autism are precisely alike, autism is probably the result of a multitude of causes. Nothing will make the search for autism's causes uncomplicated. We don't know precisely what causes autism, but we do understand that both genes and environment are engaged. There is no theory of the cause of autism which everyone has found convincing. However, parenting behaviors are not the cause or a contributing factor to the cause or causes of autism.
