Different Areas of Brain Affected in Autism, Sensory Disorders. Wrist Device Shows Promise for Hand Tremors. Contact Sports May Alter the Brain, Scans Suggest. Doctor Who Gave Name to Asperger's Syndrome. read more
Two of the neurotransmitters that appear to be affected are serotonin (which affects emotion and behavior) and glutamate (which plays a role in neuron activity). Together, these brain differences may account for autistic behaviors. Scientists continue to look for clues to the origins of autism. read more
A newly published brain-tissue study suggests that children affected by autism have a surplus of synapses, or connections between brain cells. The excess is due to a slowdown in the normal pruning process that occurs during brain development, the researchers say. read more
This suggests different parts of the autistic brain have difficulty working together to process complex information. This may be the driving component of autism, the researchers say. The study was funded, in part, by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) of the National Institutes of Health. read more
However, only the boys with autism had impairment in specific parts of the brain essential for social-emotional processing. "One of the classic features of autism is decreased eye-to-eye gaze, and the decreased ability to read facial emotions," noted Marco. read more
Scientists have discovered that in people with autism, this wiring is faulty, leading to misfiring in communications between brain cells. In the brain, nerve cells transmit important messages that regulate body functions -- everything from social behavior to movement. read more