How stress(serotonin) may cause Autism

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Well I found some interesting articles about how stress may be responsible for Autism.. what do others think?


Stress and the Brain


Not to add to your stress level, but accumulating research indicates that continuous or intense stress may sometimes negatively influence the brain and its function. Studies find evidence that severe stress may sometimes alter brain cells, brain structure and brain function.view article

Autism and its Connection with the Neurotransmitter Serotonin

The causes of autism are widely debated, but a substantial body of research exists that shows differences between autistic and non-autistic individuals in the structure of the brain, ‘electrical wiring’ and the level of certain neurotransmitters in blood and spinal fluid. One such neurotransmitter is serotonin (5) which is instrumental in the control of sleep, mood, some types of sensory perception, body-temperature regulation and appetite. It also affects the rate at which hormones are released and has something to do with tissue inflammation. Individuals with Autism are known to have increased levels of serotonin in their blood. They produce, absorb or metabolize serotonin differently than those who are not autistic.

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This is information from Ritalin drug...

The means by which methylphenidate helps people with ADHD are not well understood. Some researchers have theorized that ADHD is caused by a dopamine imbalance in the brains of those affected. Methylphenidate is a dopamine reuptake inhibitor, which means that it increases the level of the dopamine neurotransmitter in the brain by partially blocking the transporters that remove it from the synapses. An alternate explanation which has been explored is that the methylphenidate affects the action of serotonin in the brain.

Reported side effects include psychosis (abnormal thinking or hallucinations), difficulty sleeping, stomach aches, diarrhea, headaches, lack of hunger (leading to weight loss) and dry mouth, in some cases also including death.

Less common side effects include palpitations, high blood pressure and pulse changes.

Stimulants are related to amphetamines, which might make them seem an odd choice for treating hyperactive children, because stimulants increase activity in the brain and normally make people more alert and active. However, stimulants at the doses used for ADHD have the opposite effect.

Methylphenidate works by affecting some of the natural chemicals that are found in the brain. In particular, it increases the activity of chemicals called dopamine and noradrenaline in areas of the brain that play a part in controlling attention and behaviour. These areas seem to be underactive in children with ADHD. It is thought increasing the activity of these chemicals improves the function of these underactive parts of the brain. We still don’t fully understand how stimulants work in children with ADHD, and they don’t work for everyone. But they can be very useful at helping some children to learn to control their behaviour.

Methylphenidate is not used for all children with ADHD. It is used as part of a comprehensive treatment programme for ADHD that includes psychotherapy and behavioural management techniques, and is only used in children in whom these treatments have proved to be insufficient on their own. It should only be used under the supervision of a specialist in childhood behavioural disorders, and only after the severity of the child's symptoms has been thoroughly assessed.


Love how they never have a clue with these drugs...


Don't think this is very good test, but It's going on Introverts To extroverts in noise since making someone do these test's you need them to answer it correct...

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_o ... c8fbed5fab

Research suggests that function of ARAS is to regulate the amount of information or stimulation that goes into the brain. It activates and deactivates higher parts of the brain (cerebral cortex) and is involved in maintaining alertness and concentration and in controlling the sleep-waking cycle.

Eysenck stated each individual’s ARAS functions differently:

ARAS that lets in LOTS of stimulation --> introvert
ARAS that cuts brain off from stimulation --> extrovert

This may seem counterintuitive at first but think about it. A person whose ARAS causes him/her to be to be chronically overraroused is an INTROVERT. If you are getting lots of sensory input you AVOID stimulation as you already have more than you need. So, avoid loud noises, social stimulation, noisy parties and exciting situations.

The resting level of ARAS activity is higher for introverts than extraverts.

Introverts are:

naturally more aroused
prone to overarousal
stimulus shy
withdrawing

Extraverts are:

naturally underaroused
seek arousal
stimulus hungry
approaching

Evidence for ARAS theory

Animal research
Laboratory research
extraverts chose louder noise
extraverts take more pauses during in a repetitive task (due to 'boredom')

Saliva production (Lemon Juice Test)

THE LEMON JUICE DEMONSTRATION

It has been reported that introverts produce more saliva than do extraverts (Corcoran, 1964, in Phares, 1991):
Tie a thread to the centre of a double-tipped cotton swab so that it hangs perfectly horizontal
Person swallows three times then put one end of the swab on the tongue, holding it there for 30 seconds
Then 4 drops of lemon juice are placed on the tongue. After swallowing the person places the other end of the swab on the same portion of tongue for 30 seconds.
Swab will remain horizontal for extraverts, hang down on the lemon juice end for introverts (indicating a relatively large amount of saliva produced in response to the lemon juice)
Nonetheless, other more sophisticated tests give conflicting results.

Neurotransmitters and personality

Communication between neurons in the brain is based upon substances called neurotransmitters. Some of the neurotransmitters you may be familiar with are epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin. Norepinephrine for example is likely to be involved in both anxiety and anger.

High levels of norepinephrine have for example been associated with anxiety-proneness, dependency and sociability. On the other hand, low levels of norepinephrine are associated with disinhibition & impulsivity (Zuckerman).

Criminals have been found to have low levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine.

The neurotransmitter, dopamine, is implicated in bodily movements, amongst other things. A lack of dopamine is associated with Parkinson’s disease (l-dopa and Sacks).
( Alzheimer's disease = lack of acetylcholine, a brain chemical believed to be important for memory and thinking. As AD progresses, the brain produces less and less acetylcholine; therefore, cholinesterase inhibitors may eventually lose their effect. ) ( Question is? Are Introverts & extroverts burning themselves out. )

The enzyme MAO which I mentioned early and which regulates the breakdown of the neurotransmitters serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine has been found to be implicated in aggression, extraversion, sensation seeking, such that low levels of this enzyme lead to increased levels of aggression, extraversion, and sensation seeking.



High serotonin levels are associated with compulsive behaviours and obsessive tidiness. However the workings of serotonin are extremely complex and not fully understood. Dean Hamer, who has researched serotonin extensively, suggests that serotonin is a chemical that ABETS rather than alleviates anxiety and depression. Serotonin levels have been linked to aggression such that when serotonin levels rise so to does aggression (Wright, 1995).

Nothing but nothing CAUSES autism, in my opinion. Countless things can trigger behavioural, physical and emotional problems in autistic individuals, including those who are "high functioning" and whose autistic traits might not have been apparent without those triggers.