Page 1 of 1 [ 3 posts ] 

animal
Toucan
Toucan

User avatar

Joined: 24 Aug 2008
Age: 37
Gender: Female
Posts: 282
Location: Vic.

18 Oct 2008, 2:50 am

So I saw something on a science program I thought might be interesting to you guys. Basically it was talking about how a person's gait is determined by something deep inside their mind, and that you can figure out a lot about how a person's mind works by analysing their gait.

Researchers analysed the gaits of people with autism and people with Aspergers, and found that autistic people had different gaits to those with Aspergers. Both gaits were abnormal. This implies that a person with Aspergers' brain is wired differently to a person with autism's brain. So the two conditions are not two manifestations of the same condition, but are two different conditions. Obviously, a lot more research needs to be done before anything conclusive can be said.

Any thoughts?



Akajohnnyx
Snowy Owl
Snowy Owl

User avatar

Joined: 15 Aug 2008
Age: 39
Gender: Male
Posts: 139
Location: Michigan

18 Oct 2008, 3:35 am

Interesting. I think it's quite possible that Autism and Asperger's are different, although similar conditions. I was taught in my Psych class that AS is more or less a sub-category of Autism, but I have always found that hard to believe. I mean, "high-functioning Autism' almost seems like an oxymoron to me. The whole average to above-average IQ in Aspies seems like a good indicator that you're dealing with apples and oranges, not McIntosh and Granny Smith. But perhaps I am just being narcissistic in thinking that.

Maybe it's kinda like bats and birds. Sure, they both have wings and fly, but they're not closely related. They don't share a close common ancestor. I can't remember what this concept is called (and I should know! I was a bio minor). Maybe this is a bad example, but yeah, I do believe that there is a possibility that AS and Autism are not as similar as they have been displayed to be historically.


_________________
The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.


ShadesOfMe
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 30 Jun 2004
Age: 33
Gender: Female
Posts: 16,983
Location: California

18 Oct 2008, 1:51 pm

Finally this is being acknowledged! I mean, finally. Yes, Autism and Aspergers are different. If you have Aspergers you are not "autistic". Finally people are getting this! Thank you so much for posting this!