Evidence for Neurodiversity or Disorder?

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There's still going to be damage. Sensory nerves may have developed incorrectly (evidence for that). The different brain volume regarding white matter could be due to the same (evidence for that).

Developed incorrectly equates to damage as far as I can see. But no, typical brain injury most likely won't cause autism (it might cause some symptoms of such though).

So if you change the meaning of the word "damage" then autism is caused by brain damage?

Well, it's not changing the meaning, as damage can be the end product of development. If my sensory nerves can't handle something that my species has evolved into (or even just things that are natural to Earth), then I'd say they're definitely damaged.

It's most likely not the disorder known as brain damage that causes such (though you can get executive functioning and planning problems from such).

I call deafness a malfunction because we have ears. But say lack of Theory of MInd, it could be something malfunctioning in the brain or just a different brain...?

Differences in the development of the brain have been noted in some individuals with autism in brain scans and have been shown as unremarkable in others.

A recent study showed that areas of the brain with more white matter than gray matter suggested as a male specific associated characteristic are seen in females with Aspergers but not with control group females. There was no significant difference seen between males with Aspergers and control group males.

http://sfari.org/news-and-opinion/in-brief/2012/cognition-and-behavior-asperger-brains-similar-across-sexes



While Non-verbal learning disorder is associated with lesions in the right hemisphere of the brain, it occurs in the condition associated among those with Aspergers as well as those without Aspergers.

These associations of brain damage and potential differences in brain development include other issues as well, in abnormal brain growth associated with males with regressive autism, an excess of neurons per post mortem brain tissue that has been studied from children with autism disorder, as well smaller than normal cerebellums in some individuals with Aspergers syndrome, seen in brain scans. I'm sure there are many more, but those are the ones that come to mind.

There are no consistencies seen across the spectrum per these observed anomalies, but it is a spectrum so there is no reason why different associated structural anomalies in the brain would not be seen, across a spectrum where the clinical features vary.

Then of course there are the over one thousand genetic associations, including damage to DNA resulting in genetic mutations. But none specific as a causal factor.

And additionally environmental factors, including cultural/social stresses that are observed associated with autistic like social/communication/RRB behavioral impairments as well as associated structural brain anomalies/potential brain damage per a reduction of the percentage of gray vs white matter measured by brains scans in areas of the brain. Per example of recent research in China that shows potential brain damage among individuals with country specific defined severe internet video gaming addiction. But there is no evidence that this is a neurological disorder that the children are born with.

The only thing consistent about autism is the diagnostic criteria, that defines and describes behavioral impairments observed in defined disorders in a defined spectrum, and soon one defined and described spectrum disorder, with three behaviorally defined and described levels of severity.

It is important that the condition is diagnosed in childhood or symptoms can be associated in childhood from medical records or caretakers, because there are so many other factors in the environment that have been associated with autistic like behaviors in individuals.

Meanwhile research continues on the brains of individuals with autism in an attempt to determine additional anomalous factors associated with autism.

Unfortunately as is being discussed on another thread here, a third of the brain tissue samples taken postmortem from individuals with autism spectrum disorders at a Harvard brain bank were thawed and damaged.

Interestingly, since foul play can't be ruled out, because of the unusual circumstances associated with the failure of controls in the system to prevent this from happening, conspiracy theories are starting to multiply on the internet, that there is some type of government or "big pharma" conspiracy to hide brain damage caused by vaccinations per reports of children with autism that had been diagnosed with regressive autism after vaccinations that later died and whose brains were donated for study. Along with a recent Italian court ruling, that has provided damages to the parents of an individual with autism, diagnosed with autism after vaccination, that some are attempting to suggest is proof that autism may still be caused by vaccines, supporting these continued vaccine conspiracy theories.

Also, the loss of those brains has been described as setting research back several years. I wish I could remember the exact number, but I can't even remember the name of the project involved in collecting autistic brain tissue to be stored in the Harvard brain bank and used for research.

http://articles.boston.com/2012-06-11/news/32177708_1_brain-bank-autism-research-freezer/2

Here is the original article regarding the incident.

And here is the link to the Autism Tissue Program project sponsored by autism speaks.

http://www.autismtissueprogram.org/site/c.nlKUL7MQIsG/b.5183271/k.BD86/Home.htm

From what I read in the first article autism speaks lost about a third of the tissue samples, that amount close to 150 total, per other tissue banks, where the tissue is stored, per that unfortunate incident at Harvard.

If one looks over the other thread associated with this topic, one might be tempted to question whether or not the anti-cure sentiment associated with autism is benign per continued research into autism, and even potentially other disorders, but I suspect that sentiment continues as benign per the continued advancement of humanitarian research.

Just some stuff from emedicine:

As it said, findings vary, but then, so do the symptoms of ASDs from person to person.

The related anomalous issues are so complex and varied, that it really highlights just how important this tissue collection effort was in overall research per the brains of individuals with autism. And from an organic point of view, it appears that what is diagnosed as autism, is a result of many different structural anomalies associated with the brain.

The fear some have that there is going to be "a" cure for autism, is not a reasonable one based on the evidence that exists. Cures for some symptoms among some individuals, preventions per environmental factors, better interventions and treatments, yes potentially.

But the further research delves into actual studies of individual brains among those that have autism spectrum disorders, more complex and varied anomalies are seen. Perhaps the most remarkable finding is that in some diagnosed with autism there are no remarkable findings in these studies at all. It's harder to measure the general process of neuroplasticity, unless one has longitudinal measures of brain scans, which are rare. No doubt it plays a role, and the complexity there is infinitely complex, requiring no remarkable brain scans in early childhood, as that process continues through life.

While there may be soon be only one behavioral diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder, there are probably thousands maybe millions of variations of organic influence that in effect make different organically based disorders, falling under one potential behavioral diagnostic criteria. There will never likely be enough names to categorize those organic differences, but technically they are not equivalent organic disorders.

There is little to no evidence that there is a typical organic neurological similarity seen in individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, anymore than there is in the general population whom are also evidenced as having anomalous structural differences in the brain, some seen as remarkable, some seen as incidental. But, all having some potential impact on the neurological human functioning potentially impacting behavior, many of which are not understood well at all.

All there is, is diversity, per neurological functioning and resulting behaviors in human beings.

The behaviors seen in autism will likely never find a common neurological factor per those diagnosed with the condition. At least that is what the evidence so far, working together, suggests.

There can never be one cure if there is not potential for one common neurological factor among those diagnosed. Only thousands maybe millions of organic and environmental factors associated with those with a label of a diagnosis that are studied as individuals and subgroups. That's perhaps the most interesting overall finding of research in the last several decades, evidence of a spectrum rather than anything specific, other than a label, and words attempting to describe a defined group of criteria, associated with that label.

When this abundant information is made clear, it's hard for me to understand why there would be a continued fear among some that there is a concerted effort to eradicate people with autistic like behaviors from the population. The only way that's going to happen is if all human beings are eradicated.

A much larger concern, and not one worth worrying about, potentially of cosmic dimensions.

Interesting scientific publication on Autism and neurodiversity :
Autism as a Natural Human Variation: Reflections on the Claims of the Neurodiversity Movement

Interesting scientific publication on Autism and neurodiversity :
The Cerebral Subject and the Challenge of Neurodiversity