What's Different About The Brains Of People With Autism?

[Lunacie]

It really does seem to be a problem in the "wiring" of the brain ...

to read more go to: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012...le-with-autism

Just says scans of people without autism have showed him that in a typical brain, the activity in areas near the front is synchronized with the activity in certain areas toward the back.

"It was obvious that they were working together," says Just. "I mean we all knew in some vague way that the different parts of the brain would work together, but to find this sort of beautiful rhythmic dance together was a very eye opening moment."

When he began to study the brains of people with autism, Just realized that beautiful rhythm wasn't always there.

"There was this lack of synchrony between the frontal areas and posterior areas," he says.

[Zevispaz]

Hmmm... I guess that makes sense why alot of ADHD and Autism symptoms are similar if both disorders affect how the front of the brain communicates and functions.

[Lunacie]

That's what I was thinking.

[Zevispaz]

What's the difference between high functioning autism and adhd? Just social skills?

I'm just wondering because I think my bro might be high functioning autistic.

[fracturedstory]

Hey, he stole my theory!

Hudale has a more succinct version of what's become known as the "underconnectivity theory of autism."

"Well, I'll put this to you simply, like, if I'm messed up it's because my wires are messed up," he says.

But I can explain it more eloquently.


Also, have you read the article in ScienceNOW about how autism may be a cause of miswired synaptic connections? I like that one.

Linky: http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceno...in.html?ref=hp

And lastly, I have been capable of learning some new skills. And that's not been from mental exercises but learning the social rules how one learns how to connect a new hard drive to a PC, and with a lot of practice. Plus Ritalin helps.

[SquarePeg]

Sorry if this is a stupid or insensitive question or I am generalising but I mentioned before that I have a friend who works with autistic children. Trouble is she only sees kids and never has a chance to talk to them as adults and find out their views and how the therapies they have received have helped or not (which I think is a huge missed opportunity). IT seems that once they reach the age of 16 its goodbye you are on your own now.

She says that many don´t feel the need to be cuddled or touched and even though they can be "taught" to cuddle a parent (which makes the parent so so happy) the child doesn´t seem to receive any comfort or pleasure in this.

I know fractured you posted about sensory issues, can early massage therapies help with this.

[fracturedstory]

I think the hug will be felt when the child initiates it. Many times we hug because it's a social grace and hug back because it's expected of us. I've hugged people out of true love and wanting to do it, and wasn't always intoxicated.

There's therapy for autistic adults too. Not all places do this. You have to go from one therapist to another, and most of the time the new one is a psychiatrist.

Massage therapies will just help in making that sensation less stressful. People with autism don't like surprise. We like predictability, and so a hug out of nowhere will startle us and we'll just respond awkwardly. I'd rather just buy someone a well thought out present to show my love than give a hug. And kissing cheeks is right out. Well, until I get better with practice and don't feel so nervous about it.

I get told I buy the best presents too. And I don't have to wait for someone's birthday or the Christmas season too.

[SquarePeg]

I´m not a hugger or a tactile person but I love hugging my cat and kids, although I sometimes feel like they are suffocating me and I hate pushing them away. The Spanish custom is to kiss on both cheeks when greeting, even with a virtual stranger. I hate it.

Even growing up I hated that linking arms that girls did or the brushing of each other´s hair. I ran a mile from that.

[fracturedstory]

Originally Posted by SquarePeg

I´m not a hugger or a tactile person but I love hugging my cat and kids, although I sometimes feel like they are suffocating me and I hate pushing them away. The Spanish custom is to kiss on both cheeks when greeting, even with a virtual stranger. I hate it.

Even growing up I hated that linking arms that girls did or the brushing of each other´s hair. I ran a mile from that.

Here, only the yuppies do it. And now I'm amongst them. The young wild child from the sticks.

The girls were weird here too. I don't even like brushing my own hair. Too coarse and I have a brush with padding under the bristles.

I'll hug my cats, dog, fish whatever. Just not another person if I didn't initiate it. I don't like having close contact with people.

[Fortune]

Originally Posted by Zevispaz

What's the difference between high functioning autism and adhd? Just social skills?

No. High-functioning autism isn't just ADHD + social skill impairments, and the social skill impairments themselves are widely misunderstood and mistakenly positioned as the central deficit in autism. I tend to see it as more of a pervasive neurological processing issue - or underconnectivity, or the link fracturedstory posted.

I suspect one of the reasons people think autism and ADHD are so similar might be due to the high rate of ADHD comorbidity in autistic people.

I'm just wondering because I think my bro might be high functioning autistic.