Autism

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Hello I am doing my research project at school and I decided to
'IS AUTISM IN CHILDREN A PRODUCT OF GENETIC DISPOSITION OR A RESULT OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS?'.
If anyone has a say could you please reply as your say will help me greatly thank you!

Neither. Sorry but your project has been scientifically proven to be incorrect on both fronts. Just because one(or both) parents may be on the spectrum does not mean their child will carry on such a trait. There is however an 80% chance of the child being on the spectrum. Also, ASDs aren't like sociopathy(which is caused by environment) in the sense that if you have it, YOU HAVE IT FROM BIRTH.

However you could make a project on how the environment may intensify the person's ASD traits. Isolation from children may result in absolutely no idea in how to interact with their peers. Contrary to popular belief we don't have ZERO social skills caused by our neurological difference.but rather a lack of ability to use the skills we have. We also learn a lot by reading and listening and have a poor ability to pick small things up from just watching and listening a conversation. I myself has what I'd consider above average social skills for a person on the spectrum as I am able to talk to some people who I am not comfortable with. I'd attribute this fact on having a cousin that I would frequently spend time with.

thank you fro your response...

if studies have not proven that either genetic or environmental factors have an influence on a child developing autism, how can you be so sure?

These are only my thoughts but I think its an evolutionary development in consciousness. Consciousness as a self awareness of time, purpose, and space are unique, on this planet, to humans. In autism, acute consciousness or the ability to function at more complex logic levels is a feature.

thank for your opinion

there is no known cause of Autism Spectrum Disorders, however a lot of theories have sprung up.

You have the Genetic Mutation Theory,
The Environmental/chemical Theory
The Medical Theory
The bacteria-Gut theory
The evolution theory.

Whatever you do, don't believe the infamous vaccine theory.

It mostly runs in families. Most of the time they have family relations who are autistic. You can look up the twin studies on autism. But in the case of a child being born with autism in a family with no previous history then 77% of the time it is caused by one single genetic mutation. What causes that is unknown, as far as I know. There are different causes for the autism to each person most likely. Mostly genetic, though, but there are still a lot of people unaccounted for.

Well from the information I provided I have supported the fact that having an ASD will effect the likelihood of the neurological status of their child. Also, studies have also proven that their environment will not cause a true ASD but instead could make a ASD like personality. By true ASD I mean a neurological pattern that is similar to all correctly diagnosed people on the spectrum. There have been many cases in which a false diagnosis has been made of having an ASD but they've outgrown their ASD traits. Outgrowing ASD traits for someone with a true ASD would be impossible as it would mean completely changing how their brain is wired for response to touch, emotions, and much much more. By impossible I mean with the technology we have now.

A thing to keep in mind is there are cases of identical twins, where only one is autistic.

And that is incredibly odd but also interesting. I think they definitely need to study those twins where that's the case. I'd be interested to know if they're genetically identical or if the autistic one has a mutation in their genetics or something.

We don't know exactly what causes autism (although there are many theories--see the other posters' replies), but its generally agreed that its a heterogeneous condition.

The theory I believe to be correct is the nonregulation of the UBE3A enzyme because of farely new information that geneticists have uncorvered. In short, the UBE3A engyme targets and breaks down proteins in the brain. What I believe is the Autism sparker is that the UBE3A enzyme isn't being regulated because of at least 1,000 gene mutations. That's about all the information I know of this theory but I am lead to believe that the proteins the enzyme destroys regulate the way the frontal lobe acts. The frontal lobe is responsible for things such as anxiety, sense of fear, motor coordination(along with the cerebellum), speech, and more.

As far as you are aware, would every instance of this cognitive state be explicable under this finding?

From what I understand, that while identical, they can still develop slightly differently. I also know of identical twin brothers where only one has type 1 diabetes. I always figured my autism was due to my brain not quite developing enough or differently. Or maybe due to brain damage since I was born cyanotic, maybe my brain didn't get enough oxygen.

By "this cognitive state" I'm going to assume you mean all PDDs(Pervasive Develeopmental Disorders) which is what ALL ASDs are. As for if I believe this is the possible cause for every variation of PDDs. To simply put it, yes. All PDDs, though nobody has it the same, are all similar to the point that I believe they're all caused by the same thing, the UBE3A enzyme.

Aaah. fair enough. So not only do you see these wide spectrum states as disorders, but also genetic malfunctions.....across the board. Would I be reading that right?