The Amygdala

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The role of the Amygdala seems to be significant in explaining some of the features of autism

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7412438.stm

anyone think this may help in Autism? [obviously the dose would have to be kept low to avoid autistic people being taken advantage of]

Oxytocin is endogenous to the body but endogenous substances can still be harmful if taken

Id really like to hear from anyone who knows anything more about role of Amygdala.

Ben

NSF

I've also been researching this. What got me really interested, is that when I had my son I was nursing for 29 months. Nursing produces oxytocin in the body. Those were the only 29 months of my life, that I can remember, that I had hardly a symptom. I was able to interact quite well with others, my sensory issues were not nearly as troublesome... As soon as I was done nursing, it was right back to where I had been.
I had mentioned to my health care provider that I had read this same article, and about my own personal experience. She encouraged me to mention it to my psychiatrist.
I am also interested in the amygdala's function, and the relation to AS and other social phobias. The amygdala is one of the regions of the brain that contain the most cannabinoid receptors, and so of course is one of the regions most affected by marijuana use. Perhaps this is something that could help more people, if the effects of marijuana on AS and related disorders, was studied.

I always think of the princess from Star Wars when I see that word...

He he.

According to the article, oxytocin makes people trust others more easily, but it does so at the cost of diminishing their capacity to determine trustworthiness. So, if an autistic already cannot easily determine the motivations (e.g. trustworthiness) of another person, giving them oxytocin would just magnify this vulnerability even further. But they would feel better about being taken advantage of. How is that a good thing?