Autism features

The relationship between autism and schizophrenia is still recognized in the latest edition of the DSM. In DSM-IV, the diagnosis of schizophrenia can only be made in someone previously diagnosed with autism when hallucinations or delusions are a prominent feature of the illness. 

There is as yet little evidence of specific association between abnormal serotonin activity and any of the key cognitive features of autism. More circumscribed study of particular cognitive functions of autism may yet yield new insights. Perhaps most promisingly, the findings of associations between serotonin functioning and obsessional behaviour indicate the need for further investigation. 

Neuroanatomical and Neurofunctional Features of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Relationship to Brain Sexual Dimorphisms... 

There have been a number of smdies on the features and dimensions of minicolumns seen in digitized images of vertical Nissl stained sections taken from the brains of patients with a variety of disorders. They will not all be considered here. Consideration will only be given to the differences that have been reported in Alzheimer s disease, in normal aging and in autism, which is the focus of this book. 

While all cells retain the basic features of sulfur metabolism, cell type-specific differences in their dynamic activity can be observed, with important consequences for redox- and methylation-related activities. These differences reflect the evolution of multicellular organisms, and the human brain, as a highly evolved organ, exhibits a unique pattern that supports its specialized function but also introduces higher vulnerability to oxidative stress. Understanding the unique pattern of sulfur metabolism in the human brain allows novel insights into autism and brain development. 

Importantly, these SNPs are normal features of human genes, contributing to individual variability in the metabolic processes they control. When combinations of SNPs were evaluated, an odds ratio up to 7-fold was found, providing a clear example of how genetic risk factors might contribute to autism, but at the same time not necessarily representing the critical causative factor. 

Bodfish JW (2004) Treating the core features of autism are we there yet Ment Retard Dev Disabil Res Rev 10 318-326. 

Disturbed social interaction is a central feature of autism and is the source of many of the everyday impairments of patients, their relatives, and their caregivers. Therefore, it made and still makes sense to study the neurobiology of social function. In addition to helping us understand the disorder, this also holds promise for defining targets that could lead to new and more targeted treatments. An excellent... 

Drug treatment of childhood psychosis and other behavioral disorders of children is confused by diagnostic inconsistencies and a paucity of controlled trials. Antipsychotics can benefit children with disorders characterized by features that occur in adult psychoses, mania, autism, or Tourette s syndrome. Low doses of the more potent or modem atypical agents usually are preferred in an attempt to avoid interference with daytime activities or performance in school. Attention deficit disorder, with or without hyperactivity, responds poorly to antipsychotic agents, but... 

---