Causes of autism by scientists and future treatment

Albert Einstein was thought to have the autism
disorder

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder,
which causes difficulties in social
interaction, verbal and non-verbal
communication and repetitive
behaviours.

Autism occurs four times more often
boys than in girls.
It is one of the three recognised disorders
of the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD);
the other two being Aspergers syndrome
and PDD-NOS (pervasive
developmental disorder, not otherwise
specified).

Autism awareness symbol

ASD is associated with intelectual disability, sleep
and gastrointestinal disturbances, difficulties in motor
co-ordination and atention.

Autism is believed to manifest in people who have
a genetic predisposition and family history.
In most cases, genetics alone cannot
determine why a person has autism.

Other risks are thought to be outside "stresses"
such as advanced parental age at the time of
conception, difficulties during birth and maternal
illness during pregnancy.

Controversies surround other proposed
theoretical causes of autism such as heavy metal,
pesticides or childhood vaccination.

Bill Gates is known to be on the
autism spectrum

Scientists at Columbia University have discovered people
with Autism have too many synapses in the brain.
Synapses are places where neurons connect
and communicate.

The scientists looked at the brains
of 26 autistic children and young
people who had died from various
causes. It is possible now for a
treatment to be researched that would
reduce the number
of synapses in the brain.

Tags: autism cure, autism treatment, ASD, PDD-NOS, aspergers, autism spectrum disorder, synapses, brain research