Essay about Neurobiological Perspectives on Autism

Neurobiological Perspectives on Autism Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder characterized by restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, along with severe impairments in reciprocal social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, and cognitive development (1,2,3). If the brain is responsible for behavior then it should follow that disordered autistic behaviors should be explainable in terms of brain abnormalities and disordered neurobiological processes. While findings are generally speculative and the etiology of the disorder remains somewhat of an enigma, there is significant evidence that autism is associated with neurobiological dysfunction. Autistic individuals are often highly socially†¦show more content†¦They can demonstrate apparent compulsive adherence to certain routines, and may become highly distressed upon changes to such rituals. They may become preoccupied with unusual objects, and/or very specific (and often bizarre) interests. In higher functioning individuals, such insistence on sameness may be manifested as a narrow range of interests, whereas, in lower functioning individuals, it may result in a preoccupation with, and attachment to, an unusual object or parts of objects. Individuals with autism generally demonstrate delayed or deviant verbal and non-verbal communication. In fact, poor communication skills are found in nearly all autistic children, and some autistic individuals never acquire functional speech. Those who do acquire speech often have pragmatic difficulties with the language, and are generally unable to use it in a socially communicative fashion. They may display abnormalities in the volume, stress, rate, rhythm, and intonation of their speech. Bizarre uses of language are also common. For example, ecolalia (repeating heard words or phrases), and palelalia (repeating oneself), are often seen in autism. In addition, disturbances in responses to sensory stimuli (particularly hypersensitive hearing or hyperacusis) are also common in autism. There is evidence that autism is associated with specific structural brainShow MoreRelatedThe Increasing Prevalence in Autism Spectrum Disorders1155 Words   |  5 Pages Autism is a mental condition that can occur in children from birth but is diagnosed in early infancy or early childhood. It is a complex neurobiological disorder that typically lasts throughout the lifetime of a person. It can be considered as a spectrum of disorders characterized by severe developmental deficiencies that can affect socialization, communication, emotional development and can cause repetitive or unusual behaviors. The ranges of the symptoms are mild to severe. 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