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Lack of 'Mirror Neurons' Linked to Autism
FruFox writes "A recent study has pointed to a possible link between autism and lack of so-called 'mirror neurons' , either physically or functionally. This provides the first solid physical evidence to back up the theory that autism's root cause is a profound lack of empathy. This probably impacts the world of Asperger's Syndrome as well. Many Slashdot readers are undoubtedly familiar with the world of Asperger's / autism."
Is there a link between these 'mirror neurons' and schizophrenia? Schizophrenia and autism are very similar in symptoms and epidemiology. Indeed, many researchers I know (unofficially) call autism "juvenile schizophrenia."
After all, I am strangely colored.
The closer we get to a biological cause of autism, the sooner we can debunk Aspergers.
I'm kidding myself though, they'll just say it must not have the same cause because the people with so-called Aspergers won't show the biological symptom.
I've had enough abrasive sigs. Kittens are cute and fuzzy.
If I recall correctly, mirror neurons are associated with imitation and self-visualization. Somehow, this meshes well with the idea of autistics lacking "higher level abstraction" abilities. Specifically, mirror neurons provide a means of abstracting the idea of self. Let me explain.
I've read that in some parts of the autistic brain, "layers" of neurons are connected directly to each other, such that every neuron in a particular layer is connected to every other neuron in the next layer. However, in normal brains, a third layer exists between pairs of layers. In this way, normal brains require fewer synaptic connections, but longer axonal pathways (i.e. a given signal takes longer to be processed, but may travel through internal layers which modify and abstract features from outer layers).
This property is theorized to give rise, in some autistics, to "idiot savant" abilities; such individuals often excel at a particular skill or set of skills (such as multiplying large numbers together very quickly). For example, one might be able to multiply 5 digit numbers together in a couple of seconds. However, because of the lack of inter-layers which allow for abstractions (and possibly understanding/comprehension of the processed information), the same person may have no concious concept of the numerical value of real world things.
(( (CRAYON) )) >
This provides the first solid physical evidence to back up the theory that autism's root cause is a profound lack of empathy.
Wouldn't lack of empathy be a symptom of autism rather than a cause? Or that since the lack of mirror neurons is the cause, it gets expressed as a lack of empathy?
"Eve of Destruction", it's not just for old hippies anymore...
This should serve has a reminder make backup; mirror data!
Why would finding a cause for autism automatically debunk Aspergers?
If autism can be measured across a spectrum, why wouldn't Aspergers just lie on the 'high' end?
Then people with so called Aspergers would show the lightest biological symptom.
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A Neurology journal article on the anatomy of Asperger's, as seen from fMRI scans
Another neurology article, on the anatomy of Autism, as seen from fMRI scans
The research at the Institute of Psychiatry, by Professor Declan Murphy is beginning to indicate that autism affects the frontal and mid-sections of the brain, whereas Aspergers appears to affect the frontal sections only. Nonetheless, other studies (not linked to here) have shown that those with asperger's have an elevated probability of having autistic children. In other words, there's good evidence they share mechanisms BUT there is also good evidence that autism outside of Asperger's involves additional mechanisms that are NOT present in Asperger's.
I asked the IoP about research on Asperger's and autism a while back, and they pointed me to the following lecture (which does not appear to be on the web anywhere):
Frith U. (2004) Emanuel Miller lecture: confusions and controversies about Asperger syndrome. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry & Allied Disciplines. 45(4):672-86, 2004 May
I hope this information is useful, trivially interesting or even interestingly trivial, depending on perspective.
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It's at Cambridge University, so they have plenty of Austistic Spectrum test subjects (most of the students and staff, for example).
It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
I honestly don't know if there are clear diagnostic tests for autism or Asperger's, or even if such tests are necessary, but could this methodology be extended to allow for conclusive medical diagnosis of autism? As I understand, it's a disorder that's characterized like other mental disorders by looking at symptoms--display enough of these signs, and you can be said to be autistic.
Does this method allow for any child to be scanned with a medical imaging device and a conclusive diagnosis of autism given? Is this even necessary, or are neurologists/psychologists accurate enough and the symptoms clear enough not to need a diagnostic test? How many people are estimated to be autistic or to display Asperger's syndrome without knowing fairly early on about the disorder? (I know you can't count how many people aren't diagnosed, but if many cases of the disorder which I assume develops as a child are diagnosed for the first time in adults, then I think it's reasonable to say that most patients go for a long while without diagnosis.)
This so called lack of empathy seems really scary to me. I always thought that religion could be avoided because we all have the ability act moral without the threat of eternal damnation.
Maybe I was wrong?
I hope not.
Religion for nerds. Stuff that really matters
Given the topic, 1 Redundant = 5 Funny!
Given the topic, 1 Redundant = 5 Funny!
Ya ya... definately +5 ya definately funny.
Four billion years of evolution .The world is more competitive than you think.What is the advantage of being normal on this planet.The planet is full of people mimicing others.The planet is full of people trying to ignore reality.And life amaxingly still exists.Some people are designed to understand life, others mearly live life,Perfection canot be achived, you cant have both.People are different for many reasons.
Asperger's exists, but your sig is fine: it helps clarify that AS is not just geekiness.
I have a diagnosis for Aspergers which I got in the middle of a breakdown, and has been very useful in helping me to get the resources that I needed to get well. I am still prone to staying in the house for days on end, whereupon I get cabin fevour, although I can lie, and tell truth from fiction. My breakdown occurred because a therapist undermined me over a period of several years: over that time, I corrected what he was telling me, without realising the conclusions that he was drawing. I look at it now, and I am amazed: my therapist thought that I was a psycho because I told him that the golden rule doesn't work "because different people want different things", and because I valued freedom "but I'm not so much into equality"... My love of the subtle and the self-organising was taken for cunning and not caring...
Maybe Leo Strauss had a point with his concept of the Straussian text, which has an exoteric ("outward") meaning that wasn't necessarily the same as the meaning drawn by the careful thinker. I ignored the exoteric, and, like Nietzsche, enjoyed using terms against their usual emphasis. In Straussian terms, I was being irresponsible, and I paid for it with a major mental collapse.
Do I have Aspergers? Nowadays, having mostly pulled out of my breakdown, I barely suffer any social symptoms that I had. Certainly, there's still a trace, but prolongued analysis of many miscommunications, and the sequence of events that led to my breakdown have by and large prevented me from further major miscommunication as far as I can tell, and indeed it is common for Aspergans to aquire social skills (albiet late). I still have major problems with timeliness, and my ex- comes around once a week to help me to tidy my house, or else I wouldn't do it. It's not that I don't care: I love a tidy house; it's that I get trapped in routine and other activities...
I am nowhere near as incapable as the character described in the Grandparent post, but I definately have difficulties. I also have advantages: I studied maths at Cambridge, and although I failed through depression, I was seen as being very capable by my supervisor. So, corny and PC though it sounds, I do not consider AS to be a disease, but rather a case of cognitive specialisation.
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(Note to mods whose first impulse might be to mod this Offtopic...it is relevant, but you'll need to read down a bit perhaps to find out why.)
"Your five predecessors were by design based on a similar predication, a contingent affirmation that was meant to create a profound detachment to the rest of your species, facilitating the function of the One."
-- The Architect talking to Neo, The Matrix: Reloaded. (Emphasis mine)
Most people assume that the largely detached attitude of Neo is due purely to the inability of Reeves as an actor to emote. What they don't realise however, is that said lack of emoting for the most part is an integral part of the character.
What the Architect describes above is basically the astrological sign of Aquarius, which science has labelled autism and assumed to be something neurologically anomalous...whereas the astrological perspective of course is that it is something which fits entirely into the natural order. For those bright sparks in the audience who will rush to remind me that there are autistics who aren't always solar Aquarians, that's true...but I would remind you that contrary to what Cosmopolitan might try and tell you, astrology isn't purely about sun signs...in fact that barely even scratches the surface. Show me any autistic individual with a non-Aquarian sun, and I'll show you a natal chart for the same individual with either several other planets in Aquarius, or a strongly aspected Uranus. (the planet associated with Aquarius)
My point here is that autism isn't a fluke, or something that's "wrong" with people. When the people who wrote that stupid play Hair and the song, "the age of Aquarius," they were wrong about *how* the new period would change people.
Call me a schizophrenic nut case if you like...but us going into the Aquarian period on the one hand, and autism diagnosis going through the roof on the other, is not merely some blind coincidence. It's a case of people adapting to an emerging society whose priorities, conventions, and entire way of life is going to be profoundly different to the one that is currently ending.
A sadist perhaps is a person who has reversed empathy, he/she gets off on the pain of others. An autist doesn't "get" that others can feel pain so would have no motivation to cause harm.
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And any slashdot poster can be expected to be intimately familiar with the pathological deficit of empathy ic understanding found in the readership.
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So I guess Dubya and the right-wing Repuglicans gots some missing mirror-neurons!
What is the two areas of the brain affected determined Asperger's, Autism or Schizophrenia. Let's say affection of just region A is Asperger's, just area B is Shizophrenia and A and B is autism.
Wouldn't that be interesting.
Hey everybody, guess what? Most of you are just fine. You're probably either teenagers (it's normal to feel not normal as a teen), or you're under-socialized--that is, you're slightly geeky, you're inclined to overanalyze things and you don't know enough different kinds of people to be able to compare yourself accurately. Once you've gotten to know different types of people, you'll find out you're quite normal.
I just don't think everyone's some misunderstood, tragic genius. I know I'm not anyways.