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How does aspergers manifest itself?

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banana45
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13 Aug 2012, 5:54 pm

is the difference between an aspie and an NT physical change in how the brain develops?

It's hard to word this question but what i've been trying to find the actual cause of aspergers, not just it's genetic or a list of symptoms. More of a detailed description of the physical variations (whether it be a dna thing or a brain slightly differing in format) that makes aspies who they are.

If that isn't a stupid question ( if it is just make this face :lol: )


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?Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words - "mank" and "ind". What do these words mean ? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.?


Marybird
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13 Aug 2012, 6:30 pm

Did you read this interview? This is the first paragraph. To read the whole interview go to WP homepage and scroll down or look for it under the articles section. It's interesting.

Interview: Henry and Kamila Markram about The Intense World Theory for Autism
Our quirky autistic columnist, John Scott Holman, interviewed Henry and Kamila Markram, originators of the Intense World Theory. Read their compelling and refreshing insights in this Wrong Planet exclusive…

1. The Intense World Theory sheds light on the mystery of autism, and offers fascinating and refreshing insights. This theory may baffle those with a limited understanding of neuroscience. How would you explain Intense World Theory to the layman?

The Intense World Theory states that autism is the consequence of a supercharged brain that makes the world painfully intense and that the symptoms are largely because autistics are forced to develop strategies to actively avoid the intensity and pain. Autistics see, hear, feel, think, and remember too much, too deep, and process information too completely. The theory predicts that the autistic child is retreating into a controllable and predictable bubble to protect themselves from the intensity and pain. The theory originated from neuroscientific discoveries on an animal model of autism and was extended by accounting for previous research on autism in humans. It is a unifying theory because it takes into account and explains the many different results and interpretations from a spectrum of studies on autism.



Last edited by Marybird on 13 Aug 2012, 6:40 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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13 Aug 2012, 6:30 pm

I don't think there is any physical brain changes, there's nothing out there to suggest one sole cause.


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banana45
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13 Aug 2012, 6:37 pm

Marybird wrote:
Interview: Henry and Kamila Markram about The Intense World Theory for Autism
Our quirky autistic columnist, John Scott Holman, interviewed Henry and Kamila Markram, originators of the Intense World Theory. Read their compelling and refreshing insights in this Wrong Planet exclusive…

1. The Intense World Theory sheds light on the mystery of autism, and offers fascinating and refreshing insights. This theory may baffle those with a limited understanding of neuroscience. How would you explain Intense World Theory to the layman?

The Intense World Theory states that autism is the consequence of a supercharged brain that makes the world painfully intense and that the symptoms are largely because autistics are forced to develop strategies to actively avoid the intensity and pain. Autistics see, hear, feel, think, and remember too much, too deep, and process information too completely. The theory predicts that the autistic child is retreating into a controllable and predictable bubble to protect themselves from the intensity and pain. The theory originated from neuroscientific discoveries on an animal model of autism and was extended by accounting for previous research on autism in humans. It is a unifying theory because it takes into account and explains the many different results and interpretations from a spectrum of studies on autism.
Did you read this interview? This is the first paragraph. To read the whole interview go to WP homepage and scroll down or look for it under the articles section. It's interesting.
My observational skills have failed me. Thanks, a very interesting article.


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?Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words - "mank" and "ind". What do these words mean ? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.?


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13 Aug 2012, 6:45 pm

I don't think Autistic children are retreating. I think it's difficult to 'come out' of the place.

It's like, in times of old, when a midwife spanked the bottoms of new borns inorder to give them that first breath of life into the outside world. Figuratively, that first breath in Autistic children, either never happens, comes in gasps, or is labored....as they deal with the outside world.

Just an opinion and should be taken as such...

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13 Aug 2012, 7:02 pm

TheSunAlsoRises wrote:
I don't think Autistic children are retreating. I think it's difficult to 'come out' of the place.

It's like, in times of old, when a midwife spanked the bottoms of new borns inorder to give them that first breath of life into the outside world. Figuratively, that first breath in Autistic children, either never happens, comes in gasps, or is labored....as they deal with the outside world.

Just an opinion and should be taken as such...

TheSunAlsoRises

Come out of what place?



TheSunAlsoRises
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13 Aug 2012, 7:24 pm

Marybird wrote:
TheSunAlsoRises wrote:
I don't think Autistic children are retreating. I think it's difficult to 'come out' of the place.

It's like, in times of old, when a midwife spanked the bottoms of new borns inorder to give them that first breath of life into the outside world. Figuratively, that first breath in Autistic children, either never happens, comes in gasps, or is labored....as they deal with the outside world.

Just an opinion and should be taken as such...

TheSunAlsoRises

Come out of what place?


Inner world.

TheSunAlsoRises



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14 Aug 2012, 3:21 am

banana45 wrote:
is the difference between an aspie and an NT physical change in how the brain develops?


Don't know about you, but I got it sitting too close to the TV as a kid.


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14 Aug 2012, 4:33 am

PerfectlyDarkTails wrote:
I don't think there is any physical brain changes, there's nothing out there to suggest one sole cause.


Actually, MRI scans of autistic brains have shown differences in the size and shape of certain structures. The degree to which these changes exist varies with the individual, but in some cases there are profound differences. From what I have read, these differences present themselves in how the prefrontal cortex connects with other areas and in how well the amygdala develops. While there may not be one simple, easily identifiable difference in an autistic bran versus a neurotypical brain, the differences are there.


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14 Aug 2012, 5:10 am

outofplace wrote:
PerfectlyDarkTails wrote:
I don't think there is any physical brain changes, there's nothing out there to suggest one sole cause.


Actually, MRI scans of autistic brains have shown differences in the size and shape of certain structures. The degree to which these changes exist varies with the individual, but in some cases there are profound differences. From what I have read, these differences present themselves in how the prefrontal cortex connects with other areas and in how well the amygdala develops. While there may not be one simple, easily identifiable difference in an autistic bran versus a neurotypical brain, the differences are there.


there was a study that showed increased plasticity as well(by comparing images from scans before and after a month of directed intense learning, in this case playing an instrument), while not a physical structure as such it is a physical behavior of the brain.

this leads to physical differences at what i understand as a very fundemental way, the very way our brains connect to themselves seem to be slightly different.

keep in mind that in [x] time, when we understand the brain and its components and mechanisms, it is quite probable that there will be no singular ASD spectrum as we understand it but dozens if not hundreds of distinct issues, in varying combinations.


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banana45
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15 Aug 2012, 3:53 pm

Oodain wrote:
outofplace wrote:
PerfectlyDarkTails wrote:
I don't think there is any physical brain changes, there's nothing out there to suggest one sole cause.


Actually, MRI scans of autistic brains have shown differences in the size and shape of certain structures. The degree to which these changes exist varies with the individual, but in some cases there are profound differences. From what I have read, these differences present themselves in how the prefrontal cortex connects with other areas and in how well the amygdala develops. While there may not be one simple, easily identifiable difference in an autistic bran versus a neurotypical brain, the differences are there.


there was a study that showed increased plasticity as well(by comparing images from scans before and after a month of directed intense learning, in this case playing an instrument), while not a physical structure as such it is a physical behavior of the brain.

this leads to physical differences at what i understand as a very fundemental way, the very way our brains connect to themselves seem to be slightly different.

keep in mind that in [x] time, when we understand the brain and its components and mechanisms, it is quite probable that there will be no singular ASD spectrum as we understand it but dozens if not hundreds of distinct issues, in varying combinations.


Thank you oodain and outofplace, these comments raise more food for thought and were the type of answers i was looking for.


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15 Aug 2012, 5:37 pm

Banana, you might be interested in a book called The Neurology of Autism, which is a collection of papers and essays by researchers, many on the general topics you are interested in. It was edited by Mary Coleman and published by Oxford Univ. Press in 2005, and it is available in e-format too.
It has a lot of info on differences in the brain and how it is wired, and how that manifests.
For years it seemed all I saw was ever-changing psych theory, so I quit looking, and I was very glad to find this book while trying to solve a problem. It explained a lot to me about problems I had no idea were potentially connected.



banana45
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10 Sep 2012, 1:33 pm

phyrehawke wrote:
Banana, you might be interested in a book called The Neurology of Autism, which is a collection of papers and essays by researchers, many on the general topics you are interested in. It was edited by Mary Coleman and published by Oxford Univ. Press in 2005, and it is available in e-format too.
It has a lot of info on differences in the brain and how it is wired, and how that manifests.
For years it seemed all I saw was ever-changing psych theory, so I quit looking, and I was very glad to find this book while trying to solve a problem. It explained a lot to me about problems I had no idea were potentially connected.


thanks, I'm always looking for new books. just ordered it off amazon.


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?Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words - "mank" and "ind". What do these words mean ? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.?


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10 Sep 2012, 2:15 pm

Marybird wrote:
The Intense World Theory states that autism is the consequence of a supercharged brain that makes the world painfully intense and that the symptoms are largely because autistics are forced to develop strategies to actively avoid the intensity and pain. Autistics see, hear, feel, think, and remember too much, too deep, and process information too completely. The theory predicts that the autistic child is retreating into a controllable and predictable bubble to protect themselves from the intensity and pain. The theory originated from neuroscientific discoveries on an animal model of autism and was extended by accounting for previous research on autism in humans. It is a unifying theory because it takes into account and explains the many different results and interpretations from a spectrum of studies on autism. [/b]


That sounds like the perfect explanation to me. To put it mildly, I was overwhelmed with the pain, suffering, war and hunger in the world where I felt like I wished some days I could never wake up..... at age 5. I should mention that I grew up in a happy, sheltered home in an upper middle class neighborhood so I had it better than most kids and this wasn't the result of abuse or neglect. I still remember painful memories 15-20 years later like they were yesterday and once in a blue moon hear unbearable noises or smell horrible odors that everyone else assumes I'm making up. Even light touches in certain areas felt like getting shocked or stabbed and the bullies had a field day with my 'wild' reactions.

I think my optometrist said it best: I have almost perfect vision (despite a family history of severe vision problems) and my problems of not being able to see in the sun are because my eyes take in too much input compared to the average person. At that point, I jumped up, put on my sunglasses and said "story of my life".