...And another amusing cause of Autism...
Kraichgauer
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08 Aug 2011, 4:26 pm
aghogday wrote:
Kraichgauer wrote:
Funny, there was no internet yet, when I was born.
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
Me too, didn't see a TV until age 7, well after I started speaking at age 4.
Can't help to wonder though; although this kind of anecdotal evidence proves that electronic media devices aren't the cause of autism, would I have started speaking at age 4, if I was exposed to constant input from a TV set. Who knows, I might have picked up language sooner.
Do electronic media devices make it harder or easier to adapt to Autism? I think that is an interesting area of study. I recently saw some research that indicated Somalian Bantu children had much higher rates of Autism in Sweden, even higher than the swedes,.
For a while there when the vaccine hypothesis was popular some were suggesting that is was proof of that theory for an environmental vs genetic cause. Now that the vaccine theory has largely been disproved, scientists are suggesting a lack of Vitamin D at higher latitudes for darker pigmented skin. I don't buy that either. But it seems like some of the strongest general evidence for some kind of environmental influence, so far.
There's one particular site dedicated to the inequality of the races (which is unfortunate, as they have members who know a lot about prehistoric European anthropology), that had ballyhooed this study that darker skinned children supposedly had higher rates of autism than their white counterparts.
Even if the researchers behind such a study have purely scientific motives, it's going to be used by people motivated by racism.
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
Scandium
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Joined: 31 Jul 2011
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Location: Orange County, CA, USA, Earth, Solar System, Orion Arm, Milky Way, Local Cluster
08 Aug 2011, 7:11 pm
Kraichgauer wrote:
aghogday wrote:
Kraichgauer wrote:
Funny, there was no internet yet, when I was born.
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
Me too, didn't see a TV until age 7, well after I started speaking at age 4.
Can't help to wonder though; although this kind of anecdotal evidence proves that electronic media devices aren't the cause of autism, would I have started speaking at age 4, if I was exposed to constant input from a TV set. Who knows, I might have picked up language sooner.
Do electronic media devices make it harder or easier to adapt to Autism? I think that is an interesting area of study. I recently saw some research that indicated Somalian Bantu children had much higher rates of Autism in Sweden, even higher than the swedes,.
For a while there when the vaccine hypothesis was popular some were suggesting that is was proof of that theory for an environmental vs genetic cause. Now that the vaccine theory has largely been disproved, scientists are suggesting a lack of Vitamin D at higher latitudes for darker pigmented skin. I don't buy that either. But it seems like some of the strongest general evidence for some kind of environmental influence, so far.
There's one particular site dedicated to the inequality of the races (which is unfortunate, as they have members who know a lot about prehistoric European anthropology), that had ballyhooed this study that darker skinned children supposedly had higher rates of autism than their white counterparts.
Even if the researchers behind such a study have purely scientific motives, it's going to be used by people motivated by racism.
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
Interesting. I hadn't heard of that. There is also evidence that ethnic Africans don't have the neanderthal genes that have recently been confirmed to exist in 9 percent of the rest of the population.
As you may have come across here on this site, there are some that suggest a strong Neanderthal gene connection to Autism. After this recent Neanderthal DNA evidence, while there still may be correlation in some of the DNA identified as sharing genetic variance with neanderthals and Autism, obviously some ethnic Africans are diagnosed with Autism without the Neanderthal DNA, so any connection now looks like a weak one at best.
In the past, Neanderthal has been a slang used against someone with lower intelligence, so now that neanderthal genes have been identified in non-african genes, the site you are talking about will probably try to suggest that neanderthals were the most intelligent of humans. Although, there is some evidence that suggests Neanderthals weren't of significantly lower intelligence than humans at that time.
Recent studies report blacks have higher self esteem than whites; I guess they aren't looking for the same re-assurance as some of those who frequent sites that focus on racial inequality. Some people find it a bit threatening that minorities are soon to be the majority in some countries, like the US.
Statistically rates of autism decrease as one moves away from the equator as well as skin pigment, regardless of why this is, it certainly lends no credibility to an idea that there is a genetic predisposition for darker skinned people to have autism. It also makes those that gain such an idea from an isolated study, look a bit foolish.
Kraichgauer
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Joined: 12 Apr 2010
Gender: Male
Posts: 48,622
Location: Spokane area, Washington state.
08 Aug 2011, 7:29 pm
aghogday wrote:
Kraichgauer wrote:
aghogday wrote:
Kraichgauer wrote:
Funny, there was no internet yet, when I was born.
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
Me too, didn't see a TV until age 7, well after I started speaking at age 4.
Can't help to wonder though; although this kind of anecdotal evidence proves that electronic media devices aren't the cause of autism, would I have started speaking at age 4, if I was exposed to constant input from a TV set. Who knows, I might have picked up language sooner.
Do electronic media devices make it harder or easier to adapt to Autism? I think that is an interesting area of study. I recently saw some research that indicated Somalian Bantu children had much higher rates of Autism in Sweden, even higher than the swedes,.
For a while there when the vaccine hypothesis was popular some were suggesting that is was proof of that theory for an environmental vs genetic cause. Now that the vaccine theory has largely been disproved, scientists are suggesting a lack of Vitamin D at higher latitudes for darker pigmented skin. I don't buy that either. But it seems like some of the strongest general evidence for some kind of environmental influence, so far.
There's one particular site dedicated to the inequality of the races (which is unfortunate, as they have members who know a lot about prehistoric European anthropology), that had ballyhooed this study that darker skinned children supposedly had higher rates of autism than their white counterparts.
Even if the researchers behind such a study have purely scientific motives, it's going to be used by people motivated by racism.
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
Interesting. I hadn't heard of that. There is also evidence that ethnic Africans don't have the neanderthal genes that have recently been confirmed to exist in 9 percent of the rest of the population.
As you may have come across here on this site, there are some that suggest a strong Neanderthal gene connection to Autism. After this recent Neanderthal DNA evidence, while there still may be correlation in some of the DNA identified as sharing genetic variance with neanderthals and Autism, obviously some ethnic Africans are diagnosed with Autism without the Neanderthal DNA, so any connection now looks like a weak one at best.
In the past, Neanderthal has been a slang used against someone with lower intelligence, so now that neanderthal genes have been identified in non-african genes, the site you are talking about will probably try to suggest that neanderthals were the most intelligent of humans. Although, there is some evidence that suggests Neanderthals weren't of significantly lower intelligence than humans at that time.
Recent studies report blacks have higher self esteem than whites; I guess they aren't looking for the same re-assurance as some of those who frequent sites that focus on racial inequality. Some people find it a bit threatening that minorities are soon to be the majority in some countries, like the US.
Statistically rates of autism decrease as one moves away from the equator as well as skin pigment, regardless of why this is, it certainly lends no credibility to an idea that there is a genetic predisposition for darker skinned people to have autism. It also makes those that gain such an idea from an isolated study, look a bit foolish.
Yes, I've heard the theory that autism goes back to Neanderthal ancestry, and I personally don't believe it has any validity. After all, how are we supposed to know how a Neanderthal brain worked?
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
08 Aug 2011, 8:00 pm
Kraichgauer wrote:
aghogday wrote:
Kraichgauer wrote:
aghogday wrote:
Kraichgauer wrote:
Funny, there was no internet yet, when I was born.
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
Me too, didn't see a TV until age 7, well after I started speaking at age 4.
Can't help to wonder though; although this kind of anecdotal evidence proves that electronic media devices aren't the cause of autism, would I have started speaking at age 4, if I was exposed to constant input from a TV set. Who knows, I might have picked up language sooner.
Do electronic media devices make it harder or easier to adapt to Autism? I think that is an interesting area of study. I recently saw some research that indicated Somalian Bantu children had much higher rates of Autism in Sweden, even higher than the swedes,.
For a while there when the vaccine hypothesis was popular some were suggesting that is was proof of that theory for an environmental vs genetic cause. Now that the vaccine theory has largely been disproved, scientists are suggesting a lack of Vitamin D at higher latitudes for darker pigmented skin. I don't buy that either. But it seems like some of the strongest general evidence for some kind of environmental influence, so far.
There's one particular site dedicated to the inequality of the races (which is unfortunate, as they have members who know a lot about prehistoric European anthropology), that had ballyhooed this study that darker skinned children supposedly had higher rates of autism than their white counterparts.
Even if the researchers behind such a study have purely scientific motives, it's going to be used by people motivated by racism.
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
Interesting. I hadn't heard of that. There is also evidence that ethnic Africans don't have the neanderthal genes that have recently been confirmed to exist in 9 percent of the rest of the population.
As you may have come across here on this site, there are some that suggest a strong Neanderthal gene connection to Autism. After this recent Neanderthal DNA evidence, while there still may be correlation in some of the DNA identified as sharing genetic variance with neanderthals and Autism, obviously some ethnic Africans are diagnosed with Autism without the Neanderthal DNA, so any connection now looks like a weak one at best.
In the past, Neanderthal has been a slang used against someone with lower intelligence, so now that neanderthal genes have been identified in non-african genes, the site you are talking about will probably try to suggest that neanderthals were the most intelligent of humans. Although, there is some evidence that suggests Neanderthals weren't of significantly lower intelligence than humans at that time.
Recent studies report blacks have higher self esteem than whites; I guess they aren't looking for the same re-assurance as some of those who frequent sites that focus on racial inequality. Some people find it a bit threatening that minorities are soon to be the majority in some countries, like the US.
Statistically rates of autism decrease as one moves away from the equator as well as skin pigment, regardless of why this is, it certainly lends no credibility to an idea that there is a genetic predisposition for darker skinned people to have autism. It also makes those that gain such an idea from an isolated study, look a bit foolish.
Yes, I've heard the theory that autism goes back to Neanderthal ancestry, and I personally don't believe it has any validity. After all, how are we supposed to know how a Neanderthal brain worked?
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
The Neanderthal Theory of Autism suggests that Autistic behavior like spinning and wallking on tippy toes was a survival advantage to Neanderthals (I'm serious). And the Solitary Forager Hypothesis suggests that solitary hunting skills mastered by Neanderthals were an Autistic Trait that was advantageous for survival among Neanderthals.
Kind of like reverse evolution, measurable autistic behaviors of today are evidence that they were beneficial 30,000 years ago for survival in the wild by another species of man.
There are though, some modern Neanderthal gene variants correlated with conditions like Autism, Schizophrenia, and Diabetes, but no evidence exists of causation.
Kraichgauer
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Joined: 12 Apr 2010
Gender: Male
Posts: 48,622
Location: Spokane area, Washington state.
08 Aug 2011, 8:26 pm
aghogday wrote:
Kraichgauer wrote:
aghogday wrote:
Kraichgauer wrote:
aghogday wrote:
Kraichgauer wrote:
Funny, there was no internet yet, when I was born.
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
Me too, didn't see a TV until age 7, well after I started speaking at age 4.
Can't help to wonder though; although this kind of anecdotal evidence proves that electronic media devices aren't the cause of autism, would I have started speaking at age 4, if I was exposed to constant input from a TV set. Who knows, I might have picked up language sooner.
Do electronic media devices make it harder or easier to adapt to Autism? I think that is an interesting area of study. I recently saw some research that indicated Somalian Bantu children had much higher rates of Autism in Sweden, even higher than the swedes,.
For a while there when the vaccine hypothesis was popular some were suggesting that is was proof of that theory for an environmental vs genetic cause. Now that the vaccine theory has largely been disproved, scientists are suggesting a lack of Vitamin D at higher latitudes for darker pigmented skin. I don't buy that either. But it seems like some of the strongest general evidence for some kind of environmental influence, so far.
There's one particular site dedicated to the inequality of the races (which is unfortunate, as they have members who know a lot about prehistoric European anthropology), that had ballyhooed this study that darker skinned children supposedly had higher rates of autism than their white counterparts.
Even if the researchers behind such a study have purely scientific motives, it's going to be used by people motivated by racism.
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
Interesting. I hadn't heard of that. There is also evidence that ethnic Africans don't have the neanderthal genes that have recently been confirmed to exist in 9 percent of the rest of the population.
As you may have come across here on this site, there are some that suggest a strong Neanderthal gene connection to Autism. After this recent Neanderthal DNA evidence, while there still may be correlation in some of the DNA identified as sharing genetic variance with neanderthals and Autism, obviously some ethnic Africans are diagnosed with Autism without the Neanderthal DNA, so any connection now looks like a weak one at best.
In the past, Neanderthal has been a slang used against someone with lower intelligence, so now that neanderthal genes have been identified in non-african genes, the site you are talking about will probably try to suggest that neanderthals were the most intelligent of humans. Although, there is some evidence that suggests Neanderthals weren't of significantly lower intelligence than humans at that time.
Recent studies report blacks have higher self esteem than whites; I guess they aren't looking for the same re-assurance as some of those who frequent sites that focus on racial inequality. Some people find it a bit threatening that minorities are soon to be the majority in some countries, like the US.
Statistically rates of autism decrease as one moves away from the equator as well as skin pigment, regardless of why this is, it certainly lends no credibility to an idea that there is a genetic predisposition for darker skinned people to have autism. It also makes those that gain such an idea from an isolated study, look a bit foolish.
Yes, I've heard the theory that autism goes back to Neanderthal ancestry, and I personally don't believe it has any validity. After all, how are we supposed to know how a Neanderthal brain worked?
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
The Neanderthal Theory of Autism suggests that Autistic behavior like spinning and wallking on tippy toes was a survival advantage to Neanderthals (I'm serious). And the Solitary Forager Hypothesis suggests that solitary hunting skills mastered by Neanderthals were an Autistic Trait that was advantageous for survival among Neanderthals.
Kind of like reverse evolution, measurable autistic behaviors of today are evidence that they were beneficial 30,000 years ago for survival in the wild by another species of man.
There are though, some modern Neanderthal gene variants correlated with conditions like Autism, Schizophrenia, and Diabetes, but no evidence exists of causation.
But Neanderthals weren't solitary foragers. Archeological evidence backs up that they were very communal, and even caring for their sick and injured. I'm sorry, but I just don't see any validity in such a theory.
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
Scandium
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Age: 30
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08 Aug 2011, 9:49 pm
I think technology does have to do with autism. Now it may actually be an evolutionary advantage to have some autistic traits. The demand for farmers and physically-superior people is decreasing now that we have more machines. So humanity needs some people to make and maintain those machines, which autistics excel at.
But then again, there's also a higher demand for entertainment, so being being someone who looks good on TV or in movies would also be an evolutionary advantage.
08 Aug 2011, 9:51 pm
Kraichgauer wrote:
aghogday wrote:
Kraichgauer wrote:
aghogday wrote:
Kraichgauer wrote:
aghogday wrote:
Kraichgauer wrote:
Funny, there was no internet yet, when I was born.
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
Me too, didn't see a TV until age 7, well after I started speaking at age 4.
Can't help to wonder though; although this kind of anecdotal evidence proves that electronic media devices aren't the cause of autism, would I have started speaking at age 4, if I was exposed to constant input from a TV set. Who knows, I might have picked up language sooner.
Do electronic media devices make it harder or easier to adapt to Autism? I think that is an interesting area of study. I recently saw some research that indicated Somalian Bantu children had much higher rates of Autism in Sweden, even higher than the swedes,.
For a while there when the vaccine hypothesis was popular some were suggesting that is was proof of that theory for an environmental vs genetic cause. Now that the vaccine theory has largely been disproved, scientists are suggesting a lack of Vitamin D at higher latitudes for darker pigmented skin. I don't buy that either. But it seems like some of the strongest general evidence for some kind of environmental influence, so far.
There's one particular site dedicated to the inequality of the races (which is unfortunate, as they have members who know a lot about prehistoric European anthropology), that had ballyhooed this study that darker skinned children supposedly had higher rates of autism than their white counterparts.
Even if the researchers behind such a study have purely scientific motives, it's going to be used by people motivated by racism.
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
Interesting. I hadn't heard of that. There is also evidence that ethnic Africans don't have the neanderthal genes that have recently been confirmed to exist in 9 percent of the rest of the population.
As you may have come across here on this site, there are some that suggest a strong Neanderthal gene connection to Autism. After this recent Neanderthal DNA evidence, while there still may be correlation in some of the DNA identified as sharing genetic variance with neanderthals and Autism, obviously some ethnic Africans are diagnosed with Autism without the Neanderthal DNA, so any connection now looks like a weak one at best.
In the past, Neanderthal has been a slang used against someone with lower intelligence, so now that neanderthal genes have been identified in non-african genes, the site you are talking about will probably try to suggest that neanderthals were the most intelligent of humans. Although, there is some evidence that suggests Neanderthals weren't of significantly lower intelligence than humans at that time.
Recent studies report blacks have higher self esteem than whites; I guess they aren't looking for the same re-assurance as some of those who frequent sites that focus on racial inequality. Some people find it a bit threatening that minorities are soon to be the majority in some countries, like the US.
Statistically rates of autism decrease as one moves away from the equator as well as skin pigment, regardless of why this is, it certainly lends no credibility to an idea that there is a genetic predisposition for darker skinned people to have autism. It also makes those that gain such an idea from an isolated study, look a bit foolish.
Yes, I've heard the theory that autism goes back to Neanderthal ancestry, and I personally don't believe it has any validity. After all, how are we supposed to know how a Neanderthal brain worked?
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
The Neanderthal Theory of Autism suggests that Autistic behavior like spinning and wallking on tippy toes was a survival advantage to Neanderthals (I'm serious). And the Solitary Forager Hypothesis suggests that solitary hunting skills mastered by Neanderthals were an Autistic Trait that was advantageous for survival among Neanderthals.
Kind of like reverse evolution, measurable autistic behaviors of today are evidence that they were beneficial 30,000 years ago for survival in the wild by another species of man.
There are though, some modern Neanderthal gene variants correlated with conditions like Autism, Schizophrenia, and Diabetes, but no evidence exists of causation.
But Neanderthals weren't solitary foragers. Archeological evidence backs up that they were very communal, and even caring for their sick and injured. I'm sorry, but I just don't see any validity in such a theory.
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
I don't either, It's hard for me to believe that someone came up with a theory like that and it was accepted in an online scientific journal. If I remember correctly it was Evolutionary Psychology. I should clarify too, I mispoke, the author of the research used The Neanderthal Theory as an example of previous study into this, but he didn't specify Neanderthal in his paper, instead a general reference to prehistoric hunter and gathers, of which are also understood to have survived because of communal efforts.
Kraichgauer
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Location: Spokane area, Washington state.
18 Jan 2012, 1:32 pm
Scandium wrote:
I think technology does have to do with autism. Now it may actually be an evolutionary advantage to have some autistic traits. The demand for farmers and physically-superior people is decreasing now that we have more machines. So humanity needs some people to make and maintain those machines, which autistics excel at.
Autistics might could have been a substitute for modern technology at one point. The building of the pyramids required considerable mathematical, engineering and architectural skills. People like autistic savants with superhuman math skills would have been insanely useful back then.
People with ASDs are also great with animals and often prefer them over human company. They were probably cut out for a relatively solitary farmer's life (and a social peasant class). Even the earliest forms of animal domestication might have involved slightly autistic people. Humans should be naturally afraid of wild predatory animals like wolves, so the idea to feed and befriend them must have sprung from a rather untypical mind.
Kraichgauer
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Location: Spokane area, Washington state.
jojobean
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18 Jan 2012, 11:49 pm
I was diagnosed when I was 8 and internet did not become publicly available until I was in my early 20's Although I did have a computer as early as when I was 9...good ol' DOS. My first game was a sort of mr. potatohead kind of thing. I also had this game which made pictures out of text, vintage olive green screen too.
Evidence of autism goes back to the middle ages for sure based on the well believed myth of the changling. Which they believed that a baby was kidnapped and in its place was a changling or an infant-like being that was very much unlike the mother's baby.
back then they didn't even have computers or anything close to it. I am sure if a computer was invented then...they would have destroyed it and sent the maker to burn at the stake.
I really cant believe this article actually made it in the journal... 
Jojo
_________________
All art is a kind of confession, more or less oblique. All artists, if they are to survive, are forced, at last, to tell the whole story; to vomit the anguish up.
-James Baldwin
19 Jan 2012, 12:25 am
I wondered what the source of that article was months ago, and finally found what appears to be at least one of the related sources.
They talk about internet addiction causing structural changes in the brain, related to autistic like traits, but they aren't suggesting that internet addiction is causing autism.
It appears that the souce article of this topic, took it one step further than there is evidence for.
And, furthermore, I found that it's not really the internet addiction that is causing the changes in the brain structure, but specifically what the internet is used for that influences the pleasure centers of the brain, namely videogaming, and pornography.
It's pretty interesting stuff, and it appears that there is much more research that will follow this new area of research.
Here is what I found:
A study released about a week ago on the effects of internet addiction in adolescents suggests it results in changes in white matter fibers connecting brain regions involving impairment of emotional generation and processing, executive attention, decision making, and cognitive control; and additionally, impairments in social interaction are also involved.
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0030253
Quote:
In conclusion, we used DTI with TBSS analysis to investigate the microstructure of white matter among IAD adolescents. The results demonstrate that IAD is characterized by impairment of white matter fibers connecting brain regions involved emotional generation and processing, executive attention, decision making, and cognitive control. The findings also suggest that IAD may share psychological and neural mechanisms with other types of impulse control disorders and substance addiction. In addition, the associations between FA values in white matter regions and behavioral measures indicate that white matter integrity may serve as a potential new treatment target for IAD, and DTI may be valuable in providing information on prognosis for IAD, and FA may be a qualified biomarker to assess the effectiveness of specific early interventions in IAD.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1983234,00.html
The study was focused on 14 to 24 year olds, 15 males and 2 females.
This study didn't specifically indicate the content, but another study from China indicates that 14% of individuals under the age of 29 are addicted to the internet, and of that 14%, 70% engaged in the internet activity are addicted to online video gaming. 50% of internet users, under age 29, use the internet there, primarily for gaming. The same issue in the reference above that exists in South Korea, appears to be an issue in China as well.
http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/government/225700969
This article linked below addresses other studies that replicate these studies regarding structural changes in the brain with online video gaming. Per the article the influence of online videogaming as opposed to pornography can be isolated in south korea and china, because they censor pornography on the web.
A link to new research in that article suggests that pornography potentially may have a more powerful affect.
They relate the structural changes in the brain, of those addicted to online gaming, as simliar to those found in individuals addicted to cocaine.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/cupids-poisoned-arrow/201106/ominous-news-porn-users-internet-addiction-atrophies-brains
Quote:
Behavioral addictions
The study of non-drug addictions is still quite new. Yet already experts have uncovered decisive physical evidence that today's extreme versions of natural rewards can change the brain in ways that drugs do. "Natural rewards" are activities/substances that entice us because they enhanced our ancestors' survival, or the survival of their genes.
Moreover, it's not just a tiny minority with pre-existing disorders who are at risk. Normal, healthy brains can also change.
So far, here's the research scorecard. (Dates indicate when brain-scan research turned up evidence of the last of the three key addiction-related brain changes.)
•Pathological gambling - studied for 10 years, and added to the upcoming DSM-5 as an addiction (2010)
•Food addiction - (2010)
•Internet video-gaming addiction - (2011)
•Internet porn addiction - still not studied via brain scans
The study of non-drug addictions is still quite new. Yet already experts have uncovered decisive physical evidence that today's extreme versions of natural rewards can change the brain in ways that drugs do. "Natural rewards" are activities/substances that entice us because they enhanced our ancestors' survival, or the survival of their genes.
Moreover, it's not just a tiny minority with pre-existing disorders who are at risk. Normal, healthy brains can also change.
So far, here's the research scorecard. (Dates indicate when brain-scan research turned up evidence of the last of the three key addiction-related brain changes.)
•Pathological gambling - studied for 10 years, and added to the upcoming DSM-5 as an addiction (2010)
•Food addiction - (2010)
•Internet video-gaming addiction - (2011)
•Internet porn addiction - still not studied via brain scans
As one can see, even more interesting, is that this is definitely not an internet only phenomenon, this phenomenon has been found in other areas where there are strong rewards for "instant gratification", including food addiction, and our endless supply of fats and sugars, that our distant ancestors would not have been able to imagine.
Epigenetic influences in the environment have been suggested to influence genetic triggers for traits associated with autism, not unlike the way marijuana has been found to impact traits associated with schizophrenia in some studies.
While it may not appear on the surface that something like a videogame could eventually change the structure of the brain, the recent research provides pretty compelling evidence that it might.
jojobean
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Joined: 12 Aug 2009
Age: 47
Gender: Female
Posts: 3,341
Location: In Georgia sipping a virgin pina' colada while the rest of the world is drunk
19 Jan 2012, 12:43 am
aghogday wrote:
I wondered what the source of that article was months ago, and finally found what appears to be at least one of the related sources.
They talk about internet addiction causing structural changes in the brain, related to autistic like traits, but they aren't suggesting that internet addiction is causing autism.
It appears that the souce article of this topic, took it one step further than there is evidence for.
And, furthermore, I found that it's not really the internet addiction that is causing the changes in the brain structure, but specifically what the internet is used for that influences the pleasure centers of the brain, namely videogaming, and pornography.
It's pretty interesting stuff, and it appears that there is much more research that will follow this new area of research.
Here is what I found:
A study released about a week ago on the effects of internet addiction in adolescents suggests it results in changes in white matter fibers connecting brain regions involving impairment of emotional generation and processing, executive attention, decision making, and cognitive control; and additionally, impairments in social interaction are also involved.
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0030253
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1983234,00.html
The study was focused on 14 to 24 year olds, 15 males and 2 females.
This study didn't specifically indicate the content, but another study from China indicates that 14% of individuals under the age of 29 are addicted to the internet, and of that 14%, 70% engaged in the internet activity are addicted to online video gaming. 50% of internet users, under age 29, use the internet there, primarily for gaming. The same issue in the reference above that exists in South Korea, appears to be an issue in China as well.
http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/government/225700969
This article linked below addresses other studies that replicate these studies regarding structural changes in the brain with online video gaming. Per the article the influence of online videogaming as opposed to pornography can be isolated in south korea and china, because they censor pornography on the web.
A link to new research in that article suggests that pornography potentially may have a more powerful affect.
They relate the structural changes in the brain, of those addicted to online gaming, as simliar to those found in individuals addicted to cocaine.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/cupids-poisoned-arrow/201106/ominous-news-porn-users-internet-addiction-atrophies-brains
As one can see, even more interesting, is that this is definitely not an internet only phenomenon, this phenomenon has been found in other areas where there are strong rewards for "instant gratification", including food addiction, and our endless supply of fats and sugars, that our distant ancestors would not have been able to imagine.
Epigenetic influences in the environment have been suggested to influence genetic triggers for traits associated with autism, not unlike the way marijuana has been found to impact traits associated with schizophrenia in some studies.
While it may not appear on the surface that something like a videogame could eventually change the structure of the brain, the recent research provides pretty compelling evidence that it might.
They talk about internet addiction causing structural changes in the brain, related to autistic like traits, but they aren't suggesting that internet addiction is causing autism.
It appears that the souce article of this topic, took it one step further than there is evidence for.
And, furthermore, I found that it's not really the internet addiction that is causing the changes in the brain structure, but specifically what the internet is used for that influences the pleasure centers of the brain, namely videogaming, and pornography.
It's pretty interesting stuff, and it appears that there is much more research that will follow this new area of research.
Here is what I found:
A study released about a week ago on the effects of internet addiction in adolescents suggests it results in changes in white matter fibers connecting brain regions involving impairment of emotional generation and processing, executive attention, decision making, and cognitive control; and additionally, impairments in social interaction are also involved.
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0030253
Quote:
In conclusion, we used DTI with TBSS analysis to investigate the microstructure of white matter among IAD adolescents. The results demonstrate that IAD is characterized by impairment of white matter fibers connecting brain regions involved emotional generation and processing, executive attention, decision making, and cognitive control. The findings also suggest that IAD may share psychological and neural mechanisms with other types of impulse control disorders and substance addiction. In addition, the associations between FA values in white matter regions and behavioral measures indicate that white matter integrity may serve as a potential new treatment target for IAD, and DTI may be valuable in providing information on prognosis for IAD, and FA may be a qualified biomarker to assess the effectiveness of specific early interventions in IAD.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1983234,00.html
The study was focused on 14 to 24 year olds, 15 males and 2 females.
This study didn't specifically indicate the content, but another study from China indicates that 14% of individuals under the age of 29 are addicted to the internet, and of that 14%, 70% engaged in the internet activity are addicted to online video gaming. 50% of internet users, under age 29, use the internet there, primarily for gaming. The same issue in the reference above that exists in South Korea, appears to be an issue in China as well.
http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/government/225700969
This article linked below addresses other studies that replicate these studies regarding structural changes in the brain with online video gaming. Per the article the influence of online videogaming as opposed to pornography can be isolated in south korea and china, because they censor pornography on the web.
A link to new research in that article suggests that pornography potentially may have a more powerful affect.
They relate the structural changes in the brain, of those addicted to online gaming, as simliar to those found in individuals addicted to cocaine.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/cupids-poisoned-arrow/201106/ominous-news-porn-users-internet-addiction-atrophies-brains
Quote:
Behavioral addictions
The study of non-drug addictions is still quite new. Yet already experts have uncovered decisive physical evidence that today's extreme versions of natural rewards can change the brain in ways that drugs do. "Natural rewards" are activities/substances that entice us because they enhanced our ancestors' survival, or the survival of their genes.
Moreover, it's not just a tiny minority with pre-existing disorders who are at risk. Normal, healthy brains can also change.
So far, here's the research scorecard. (Dates indicate when brain-scan research turned up evidence of the last of the three key addiction-related brain changes.)
•Pathological gambling - studied for 10 years, and added to the upcoming DSM-5 as an addiction (2010)
•Food addiction - (2010)
•Internet video-gaming addiction - (2011)
•Internet porn addiction - still not studied via brain scans
The study of non-drug addictions is still quite new. Yet already experts have uncovered decisive physical evidence that today's extreme versions of natural rewards can change the brain in ways that drugs do. "Natural rewards" are activities/substances that entice us because they enhanced our ancestors' survival, or the survival of their genes.
Moreover, it's not just a tiny minority with pre-existing disorders who are at risk. Normal, healthy brains can also change.
So far, here's the research scorecard. (Dates indicate when brain-scan research turned up evidence of the last of the three key addiction-related brain changes.)
•Pathological gambling - studied for 10 years, and added to the upcoming DSM-5 as an addiction (2010)
•Food addiction - (2010)
•Internet video-gaming addiction - (2011)
•Internet porn addiction - still not studied via brain scans
As one can see, even more interesting, is that this is definitely not an internet only phenomenon, this phenomenon has been found in other areas where there are strong rewards for "instant gratification", including food addiction, and our endless supply of fats and sugars, that our distant ancestors would not have been able to imagine.
Epigenetic influences in the environment have been suggested to influence genetic triggers for traits associated with autism, not unlike the way marijuana has been found to impact traits associated with schizophrenia in some studies.
While it may not appear on the surface that something like a videogame could eventually change the structure of the brain, the recent research provides pretty compelling evidence that it might.
interesting that internet addiction causes the same impairments of cocaine....wow. I need to get back to knitting!!
_________________
All art is a kind of confession, more or less oblique. All artists, if they are to survive, are forced, at last, to tell the whole story; to vomit the anguish up.
-James Baldwin
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