Medicina
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This review focuses on four interrelated teams and research lines that form the basis for new research on the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at the Marcus Autism Center, in Atlanta (US). These themes probe typical social behavior and brain development from birth, and disruptions thereof in babies later diagnosed with ASD. ⋯ This science is opening a world of opportunities to optimize children's outcomes despite the genetic liabilities that they are born with. It provides the scientific grounding for new community-viable solutions for increasing access to early interventions using treatments that scaffold and strengthen infant-caregiver interactions, which is the platform for early brain development.
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The characteristics of individuals with persistent ASD (ASD-P) and remittent ASD (ASD-R) are little known. This longitudinal study had three objectives 1) To determine the persistence and recovery in children with autism spectrum disorder diagnosis in adolescence: 2) To compare executive functioning (EF), socio-adaptive and behavioral manifestations of ASD-P and ASD-R adolescents; and 3) to identify the percentage of normalized individuals in ADS-P and ADS-R groups in EF, socio-adaptive and behavioral manifestation in childhood and adolescence. ⋯ The ASD-P group presented significantly more problems than group ASD-Rand showed worst evolution in EF, socio-adaptive and behavioral domains. Our findings highlight the variability of developmental trajectories of children with ASD.
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This study aims to contribute to a better understanding of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by comprehensively examining the relationship between two of the main cognitive deficits of the disorder (attention and inhibitory control), symptomatology (inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity) and functional impairment in 85 children and adolescents with ADHD without other comorbid disorders. We found, independent of general intellectual functioning and age, that i) greater attentional and inhibitory deficits predicted greater severity of ADHD symptoms, ii) greater attentional and inhibitory deficits predicted greater functional impairment, but not in a direct way but through symptoms, and iii) greater symptomatic severity predicted greater functional impairment. Beginning to explore and understand the complexity of ADHD is key to advance our knowledge of the disorder and for correct clinical decision making.
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Modern neuroscience addresses the problem of the global functioning of the brain in order to understand the neurobiological processes that underlie mental functions, and especially, consciousness. Brain activity is based on the exchange of information between neurons through contacts or synapses. Neurons form networks of connection between them (circuits), which are dedicated to processing a specific type of information (visual, auditory, motor ...). ⋯ The question about whether knowledge of an individual's connectome would allow us to predict his or her behavior seems to have no clear answer yet, because we do not know the physical parameters that link the complexity of the brain's connections with the appearance of mental functions and consciousness. At the moment, it seems that the complex and unpredictable behavior is not the simple result of linear processes of neuronal interaction. Uncertainty prevails over determinism, which opens the door to the possibility of a quantum mechanism to explain consciousness.
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Autism or ASDs are neurodevelopmental disorders that affect socio-communicative development, interests, and a restricted and stereotyped pattern of interests and behavior. Epidemiological studies indicate that there are 3 times more boys affected with autism than girls but clinical studies indicate a much higher preponderance in favor of boys. There is an under detection of autism with a late or wrong diagnosis more frequently in girls and women with autism. ⋯ Autism in the female gender presents differential clinical, cognitive and biological characteristics associated with under detection and late diagnosis.