Lack of "Mirror Neurons" May Help Explain Autism

Scientific American ^ | December 05, 2005 | David Biello

[neverdem]

More than one in 500 children have some form of autism, according to the Centers for Disease Control. All autistic children suffer from an impaired ability to communicate and relate to others, but some of them are able to socially interact to a greater degree than their peers. A recent study of a group of these so-called high functioning autistics suggests the neurological basis for their social impairment.

Neuroscientist Mirella Dapretto of the University of California Los Angeles and her colleagues surveyed the brains of 10 autistic children and an equal number of nonautistic children as they watched and imitated 80 different faces displaying either anger, fear, happiness, sadness or no emotion. By measuring the amount of blood flowing to certain regions of the children's brains with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine, the researchers could determine what parts of the brain were being used as the subjects completed the tasks. The autistic children differed from their peers in only one respect: each showed reduced activity in the pars opercularis of the inferior frontal gyrus--a brain region located near the temple.

This section of the brain has been shown by other studies to be part of the so-called mirror neuron system, which allows humans to understand the intentions of other human beings by observing their actions or imitating their behavior. When damaged, it can interfere with speech.

Although the high-functioning autistic children were able to imitate the facial expressions, they had trouble understanding the corresponding emotional state. The study suggests that the incompletely activated mirror neuron system is to blame. In fact, the less blood that flowed to this region of the brain in each autistic child, the less social ability that child showed--providing more support for the apparent link. The research appears in the current issue of Nature Neuroscience.

[neverdem]

I'm aware the latest number about the prevalence of autistic spectrum disorder is about 1 in 166.

High functioning autistics sound like folks with Asperger syndrome. My question is using functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI), which is what they appeared to have used, worth it for ruling this particular diagnosis, Asperger syndrome, in or out with respect to any decisions about therapy?

[neverdem]

ping

[King Prout]

pingworthy?

[FreeRep]

Good post.

[PatrickHenry]

It's interesting, but it's probably not an evo topic. I'll ping "the few."

[jimtorr]

That is a good question. I have a 5-year old nephew who appears to be border-line autistic. He has improved since he started going to a pre-school specializing in autism.

I sometimes wonder if I am, as well. I have trouble understanding the emotions of others. Sometimes I think dyslexic I am, as well.

[b_sharp]

This is interesting. Many of the 'geeks' I know, including myself, suffer from poor social skills and a lack of empathy. As a youth I found school work to be a breeze but interactions with my peers extremely difficult.

It is somewhat satisfying to be able to put a name to the problem.

[King Prout]

if it is a matter of bloodflow and, thus, oxygenation and ATP supply, would a careful diet and high-O2 hyperbaric therapy have any ameliorative effect?

[Excellence]

From what respect, financial or possible side effect of the MRI? If the MRI would help the person with the condition, what would be the downside?

[neverdem]

if it is a matter of bloodflow and, thus, oxygenation and ATP supply, would a careful diet and high-O2 hyperbaric therapy have any ameliorative effect?

These other studies, while they are preliminary, imply a neuroanatomical problem.

Eye Contact Triggers Threat Response in Autistic Children

Autistic Males Have Fewer Neurons in Amygdala

FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.

[King Prout]

has anyone attempted glial-cell injection therapy?

[King Prout]

MRI and fMRI are diagnostic, not therapeutic, tools.

[Doctor Stochastic]

Those of us who are dyslexic just wonk it.

[Seamoth]

I sometimes wonder if I am, as well. I have trouble understanding the emotions of others.

It's very simple. Men's actual emotions are what their face suggests. Women's actual emotions are the opposite of what their face suggests.

[neverdem]

From what respect, financial or possible side effect of the MRI? If the MRI would help the person with the condition, what would be the downside?

The cost of fMRI is one thing. I'd be surprised if it's less than $500 a scan. That would be basically to confirm a suspected case of Asperger syndrome. Maybe I can get a radiology consult?

I'm unaware of any possible adverse side effect of any MRI except for the hazard of any hardware that will be affected by the magnetic field.

I guess my question is there any significant difference in treatment between those diagnosed with classic autism and those with Asperger syndrome?

[PatrickHenry]

... poor social skills and a lack of empathy ...

Yes. It's difficult for me to have empathy when I'm surround by fools!!!

[patriciaruth]

Internesting. Thanks for posting this!

[SauronOfMordor]

It's difficult for me to have empathy when I'm surround by fools!!!

Having them killed and eaten works for me

[Polybius]

The cost of fMRI is one thing. I'd be surprised if it's less than $500 a scan. That would be basically to confirm a suspected case of Asperger syndrome. Maybe I can get a radiology consult? I'm unaware of any possible adverse side effect of any MRI except for the hazard of any hardware that will be affected by the magnetic field.

The cost would be far higher than $500. It would vary in every setting from free if are low-income on Medic-Aid to paying through the nose if you are uninsured with a good job.

Gadolinium (MRI contrast agent) allergies would run at about 0.5%.

Ferrous metal mixed with stupidity would be the biggest risk.

The recent tragic death in New York of a young boy in an MRI system highlights the fact that failure to keep steel objects a safe distance from an imaging magnet can have lethal consequences. The boy was killed, unfortunately, when an emergency team entered the MRI suite carrying an oxygen bottle and the latter became a guided missile, entering the bore of the magnet with overwhelming force.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

What is the rate of autism in other countries?

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

My sixteen year old grandson was diagnosed as autistic as a youngster. He was very late speaking, no eye contact, and they had to keep the doors locked to keep him from running away from home. Not that he wanted to run away from home but it seems to be a characteristic that they just go for the sake of going somewhere. They do not realize where they are.

He went to more than one preschool but has always been in a regular classroom but also had special ed.

The kid has turned out to be something fantastic. This is more than anyone could have ever hoped for. Everyone is getting tired of hearing about him but it seems that if it has turned out this way for Adam, it might turn out this way for more autistic children that they would ever expect.

I have a friend who has a 6 year old grandson with the same characteristics. I keep telling my friend to have hope that they may also have a happy ending.

[syriacus]

Neat article! Thanks for posting it.

Some of the posters on this thread might be interested in this... Take The AQ Test [Autism Spectrum Quotient Test]

Psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen and his colleagues at Cambridge's Autism Research Centre have created the Autism-Spectrum Quotient, or AQ, as a measure of the extent of autistic traits in adults.

[neverdem]

has anyone attempted glial-cell injection therapy?

With respect to autism or autistic spectrum disorder according to PubMed, no.

[neverdem]

Thanks for the consult!

[neverdem]

What is the rate of autism in other countries?

I've read that it's fairly uniform around the world, and that there's been no change in incidence since thimerosal was discontinued as a vaccine preservative.

[neverdem]

Thanks for the link!

[PioneerDrive]

Cool link. My AQ test score is 26. Slightly above avg.

[tutstar]

bump

[MadLibDisease]

Lack of "Any neurons" may explain liberalism

[GOPJ]

Nice. Thanks for the ping.

[Doctor Stochastic]

I got 25, but many of the questions were so badly stated that I would have had to pass if possible.

Museum or theatre? Which museum (Smithsonian vs Ft. Garland CO?) Which theatre (Bass Music Hall for Messiah or Orlando's Odeon Theatre showing "Plan Nine from Outer Space" Director's Cut?) Hardly enough information.

[PioneerDrive]

Exactly right. A person's personality could explain a lot, also. Still, I was suprised at my above avg. score.

[Rytwyng]

Men's actual emotions are what their face suggests. Women's actual emotions are the opposite of what their face suggests.

Also Men's actual meanings are what their word suggests. Women's actual meanings are the opposite of what their word suggests. My straight-shooting wife being one of the rare exceptions, of course.

[FreeRep]

I agree it is a poor test and questions seem to general, not at all appropriate coming from Cambridge University.

[Clintonfatigued]

This is a facinating study about a problem that affects many families.

[Nowhere Man]

This is interesting. Many of the 'geeks' I know, including myself, suffer from poor social skills and a lack of empathy. As a youth I found school work to be a breeze but interactions with my peers extremely difficult. It is somewhat satisfying to be able to put a name to the problem.

I've wondered if I was an "Aspie" from time to time. I've always had trouble interacting with al ot of my peers too when I was a kid as well as developed more of an interest towards radio electronics (I'm listening to a KC-10 tanker on my police scanner as I type this, I'm also an amateur radio operator) and computers. I like history, science, space travel and technology with a passion. I do have more empathy than I did when I was younger though. Still there are times I've felt "like an alien in this world," a feeling common to people with Asperger's syndrome. I have been tested with a 132 IQ and labeled gifted in some areas. Back in 1979, I was put with a gifted group that had access to a TRS-80 computer. Although I've made great strides with empathy, the other stuff, well, I'm still a bit of a social klutz. I know self diagnosis is not the wat to go but I often wonder if I have Asperger's, something for me to find out if I can once I'm in a better situation.

[syriacus]

Thanks for the link!
You're welcome.

[b_sharp]

You sound like a slightly younger carbon copy of me, even to the IQ (mine is 133). My degrees are in Psychology and Computer Science.

[PGalt]

Thanks for posting. Interesting. Thanks to all contributors and linkers.

[Nowhere Man]

You sound like a slightly younger carbon copy of me, even to the IQ (mine is 133). My degrees are in Psychology and Computer Science.

I turned 40 two weeks ago today. I went to college for computer information systems but money problems precluded me from finishing it so the highest diploma I have is high school. I do work in accounting for the ground division of a major shipping company. I guess I'm more of a "tinkerer," where I like to tinker with computers, radios, TV's, and so on. I did work in IT at one time but I did fall into accounting.

I'm just sitting here chilling a bit in the living room, watching a Godzilla movie on a locally hosted, horror picture program here in Pittsburgh while watching over one of my cats, Pansy, who is kind of sick now but I think she is recovering. She has a hyperactive thyroid, on meds for it, but we had a setback where we have to increase the dosage because she had fluid on her lungs that had to be drained at the vets yesterday. She just started to eat again today so I have to watch when she sits up, she wants to eat. Pansy will be 19 next month, she is my oldest of 7 cats, I had her since I was 21 (1987) I think she will come around.

One thing about Asperger's is thatm any of them, like me, tend to go into an encyclopedia type response when explaining something. I've got to find out when I get a chance, I'm just curious. I know when I was in first grade, i was so interested and knowledgible in space exploration, I got bumped up to a sixth grade class to study space with them. I also remember in fourth grade, making a diagram of how an A-Bomb works, I often wondered why the FBI never came after me. B-) When I was in high school, for some reason, I can;t remember, on a history test of World War II and Germany I did draw the V1 and V2 cruise missile and missile along with the basic systems from memory, I did impress the teacher though. B-)

[COBOL2Java]

10 for me, although I think I've improved significantly over the years. When I was a young adult I was considerably more "geeky" than I am now. I guess one eventually learns coping skills.

[jimtorr]

.....encyclopedia type response when explaining something.

I've been there. A few years ago I was in a DSS (Defense Security Service) seminar on designing high security building systems. The class was split into small groups to go over various aspects of building security systems.

I've had some experience, so my group elected me to explain our results in a five minute talk to the whole class.

My brain switched off, and I ended up talking for 40 minutes, covering every aspect on how to secure a building from intrusion, and how to detect an intrusion if it does occur. I talked about stuff that I didn't even know I remembered. I don't think I could do the same again, and I barely passed the test at the end.

Is that the sort of thing that you mean?

[Dianna]

Museum or theatre? Which museum (Smithsonian vs Ft. Garland CO?) Which theatre (Bass Music Hall for Messiah or Orlando's Odeon Theatre showing "Plan Nine from Outer Space" Director's Cut?) Hardly enough information.

LOL! I won't diagnose anyone, but this sounds like an answer my son would give. He is very, very precise about EVERYTHING.

[Nowhere Man]

My brain switched off, and I ended up talking for 40 minutes, covering every aspect on how to secure a building from intrusion, and how to detect an intrusion if it does occur. I talked about stuff that I didn't even know I remembered. I don't think I could do the same again, and I barely passed the test at the end.

Is that the sort of thing that you mean?

That could be a part of it, at least the lengthy explaination of every possible detail. I know there are times I drive people crazy when I get on a roll and start going into detailed explanations. B-)

[b_sharp]

"I turned 40 two weeks ago today. I went to college for computer information systems but money problems precluded me from finishing it so the highest diploma I have is high school. I do work in accounting for the ground division of a major shipping company. I guess I'm more of a "tinkerer," where I like to tinker with computers, radios, TV's, and so on. I did work in IT at one time but I did fall into accounting.

I'll be 51 in about a month. My first experience with 'tinkering' that I remember was reassembling a lighter my mother took apart to clean and couldn't put back together. I believe I was 7 or 8 at the time.

If you know anything about CS classes you'll recognize they have nothing to do with the electronics of a computer (although there is a fair bit on processors and gates). The majority of CS classes are programming languages and math. After spending 3 years getting my B.Sc. and 10 years as a professional programmer I 'fell' into a job fixing computers. (I had been building computers since the mid '80s.). I now run my own Computer sales and service company. Even with my training and experience writing software I end up working with the hardware.

"I'm just sitting here chilling a bit in the living room, watching a Godzilla movie on a locally hosted, horror picture program here in Pittsburgh while watching over one of my cats, Pansy, who is kind of sick now but I think she is recovering. She has a hyperactive thyroid, on meds for it, but we had a setback where we have to increase the dosage because she had fluid on her lungs that had to be drained at the vets yesterday. She just started to eat again today so I have to watch when she sits up, she wants to eat. Pansy will be 19 next month, she is my oldest of 7 cats, I had her since I was 21 (1987) I think she will come around.

I hope she does well.

I'm more an animal person than a people person I'm afraid. We have a 15 year old dog that is suffering from a bit of doggy Alzheimers and sometimes forgets to tell us when she needs to go out. We solved the problem by putting diappers on her.

"One thing about Asperger's is thatm any of them, like me, tend to go into an encyclopedia type response when explaining something. I've got to find out when I get a chance, I'm just curious. I know when I was in first grade, i was so interested and knowledgible in space exploration, I got bumped up to a sixth grade class to study space with them. I also remember in fourth grade, making a diagram of how an A-Bomb works, I often wondered why the FBI never came after me. B-) When I was in high school, for some reason, I can;t remember, on a history test of World War II and Germany I did draw the V1 and V2 cruise missile and missile along with the basic systems from memory, I did impress the teacher though. B-)

I too have a tendency to do that. I don't know if you guys get the same commercials that we do but there is a TUMs commercial where the guy goes into a bit about how an antacid works against the wishes of his friends. That's me.

[Tired of Taxes]

Ping!

Not a homeschooling article, but one that may interest parents.

If you want on/off this ping list, please let me know.

[Kaylee Frye]

Interesting test. I scored around a 30. Makes sense since I do have some issues. Not autistic, but not a genius socially. I bet my husband would score below average (as in extra social). He never understands why I can't interpret facial expressions/social motives very well.

[Nowhere Man]

I'll be 51 in about a month. My first experience with 'tinkering' that I remember was reassembling a lighter my mother took apart to clean and couldn't put back together. I believe I was 7 or 8 at the time.

I know that feeling, at that age too, I took apart things and put them back together. I remember my mother telling me that I had a "Mr. Machine" wind up toy and I took him apart at 18 months old but at that time, I didn't know how to put him together again. B-)

If you know anything about CS classes you'll recognize they have nothing to do with the electronics of a computer (although there is a fair bit on processors and gates). The majority of CS classes are programming languages and math. After spending 3 years getting my B.Sc. and 10 years as a professional programmer I 'fell' into a job fixing computers. (I had been building computers since the mid '80s.). I now run my own Computer sales and service company. Even with my training and experience writing software I end up working with the hardware.

Cool! Although I had many computer programming classes, there are times I get into the hardware and upgrade it or modify it. I have a Pentium II 266 MHz Gateway I got in 1998 which is my main computer now, I took it from 32 megs to 192 megs of RAM and when the 6.4 GB hard disc was starting to go bad, I put in a 200 GB. Since I use Windows 98 (2nd Edition), I had to partition it into (roughly) 100 GB halves because Windows 98 doesn't recognize drives bigger than 137 GB. Problem solved, I keep system files and programs on C: and my games and web client (I do some web pages) stuff on D:

I also have an IBM Thinkpad laptop from 1999 with Windows 98 (2nd Edition) on it, 128 megs of RAM and 5.57 GB HD as a backup. The bad thing is that it fell victim to the IBM defective screen and it started to break up the picture on me. I tried to fix it but I ended up killing the screen. Desktops, I'm great in, laptops, well, I'm more hit and miss. I need a new screen for it but I hook it up to a monitor to use it. I'd love to score a new screen for it, don't want to pay a lot of money, it is a Pentium II, 366 MHz after all, plus I really have to figure out how to swap screens. I think I'll stayt away from IBM for laptops and look towards Dell, HP, whatever.

I hope she does well.

Thanks. Well, she just ate a bit of food, getting her appetite back, I guess getting stuck with needles in her sides, well, that would dowse anybody appetite for a while. B-P. She also went to the litterbox and charged out of here like a bullet out of a rifle. She still moves like a ninja at her age.

I'm more an animal person than a people person I'm afraid. We have a 15 year old dog that is suffering from a bit of doggy Alzheimers and sometimes forgets to tell us when she needs to go out. We solved the problem by putting diappers on her.

I know that one too. Animals will be loyal and love you no matter who you are as long as you feed them, love them, take care of them, etc., they don't care who or what you are as long as you treat them right. Pansy is almost back to her old self, although she needs to put some weight back on.

I too have a tendency to do that. I don't know if you guys get the same commercials that we do but there is a TUMs commercial where the guy goes into a bit about how an antacid works against the wishes of his friends. That's me.

I'm the same way. People tell me I'm like Higgins from "Magnum P.I." where he goes into long stories and explanations. I know during that show, his stories were sort of the butt of jokes to the gang but knowing me, if I was there and of that tye of person, I'd sit down for hours being fascinated by that stuff. If I know a lot about the subject I can ramble on forever.

[metmom]

Oh, gross. Poor family.