Scientists are one step closer to finding the cause for autism. In a new study, Joseph Piven of University of North Carolina and colleagues found that children with autism have enlarged area of the brain called the amygdala:
"We believe that children with autism have normal-sized brains at birth but at some point, in the latter part of the first year of life, it [the amygdala] begins to grow in kids with autism. And this study gives us insight inside the underlying brain mechanism so we can design more rational interventions," said lead study author Dr. Joseph Piven.
A normal-sized amygdala helps a person process faces and emotions, behavior commonly known as joint attention.
"When you see a face, you scan it, identify if it's friend or foe and make a decision about whether to move forward or avoid it," said Dr. Barry Kosofsky, chief of neurology at Cornell Medical Center, who was not affiliated with the study.
UNC researchers conducted diagnostic assessments, in addition to the MRI scans, to monitor the children's behavior. They found toddlers with a large amygdala also had joint attention problems.
science is a process of constantly finding links and making predictions (hypotheses) which are proved right or wrong.
Very different from random people "guessing" at causes (vaccines, tv, martians).
What would you have done, Vbnx, no studies at all as to causes of autism? With 1 in 150 children in the US affected by autism, you'd just give up trying to find out why? Seriously?
I have friends in the Autism anti-cure movement, I fully support them in their fight for acceptance for who they are. The more neurodiversity in society the better.
I believe people with autism should be accepted for who they are, but think a cure should be pursued! Autism can be a terrible experience for those who have it...
And to Him: I'd be interested in some stats about how many vaccines are STILL contain mercury (save the flu, which is optional). The law was passed in 1999 (I believe). There can't be many lots left. And yet, autism rates have risen from 1 in 166 to 1 in 150.
Correlation != Causation.
QED, bitches.
kb: Is it really terrible if they don't know any alternative?
The closest that has ever been gotten to a cure is therapy, (I'm talking how to react to pressure, speech therapy, and being taught how to act in groups, not that shrink crap and drugs that most people resort to.)and a special "Diet" that consists of no gluten, casein, egg, soy, yeast, or refined sugar. A couple of good books on autism are "Look Me In the Eye" by John Elder Robinson, and "Freaks, Geeks, and Aspergers Syndrome" by Luke Jackson. Cookbooks I can recommend are "The Incredible Edible Gluten-Free Food for Kids" by Sheri L. Sanderson, "Gluten Free Gourmet" by Bette Hagman, "Special Diet Celebrations" by Carol Fenster, and "Special Diet Solutions", also by Carol Fenster.