5 Autism Spectrum Disorder Flashcards
What are 3 symptoms of ASD according to the DSM?
Deficits in social communication and interactions / restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviour / impaired social occupational functioning
What are 3 low social communication deficits is ASD?
Difficulty adjusting behaviour / poorly integrated / no back and forth
What are 3 medium social communication deficits is ASD?
Reduced sharing of emotions / abnormal eye contact / abnormal body language
What are 3 high social communication deficits is ASD?
No response to social interaction / non-verbal / lack of expression
What are 3 motor stereotyped behaviours in ASD?
Lining up toys / flipping objects / idiosyncratic phrases / echolalia
What is hypo reactivity in ASD?
Being indifferent to pain and temperature
What is hyper reactivity in ASD?
Excessive smelling or touching / visual fascination
What is syndromic ASD?
Autism associated with a genetic disorder
What did Spezio’s research into ASD patients find?
There are differences in eye movements / ASD focus on the mouth and nose / controls focus on the eyes
What are 5 possible environmental risk factors for developing ASD?
Maternal infection / preterm birth / exposure to valporic acid / history of autoimmune disease / short pregnancy intervals / advanced parental age / obstetric complications
What is considered an advanced parental age, as a risk factor for ASD?
Maternal 40+ / paternal 50+
What is considered an obstetric complication, as a risk factor for ASD?
Weight gain / hypertension / metabolic condition
What causes fatal valporate syndrome?
Anti-epileptic drugs / teratogens / increased acetylation of histones
What 3 symptoms of ASD can be seen via neuropathology?
Social behaviour / language and communication deficits / repetitive and stereotyped behaviour
What is a difference in brain volume of ASD patients?
5-10% enlargement and increased white matter
What are three differences in columnar structure of ASD patients?
Columnar structure is reduced / less space for dendritic bundles / less space for axonal fascicles / decreased dendritic arborisation / increased neuronal density
What is different about the cerebellum of ASD patients?
It is enlarged / the vermis is smaller
What is different about the amygdala of ASD patients?
13-16% enlargement
What % heritability is ASD?
80%
What is upregulated to potentially cause ASD?
Microglia
What is downregulated to potentially cause ASD?
Neuronal firing
Give three examples of de novo CNV’s and SNV’s?
CHD8, SYNGAP1, SCN2A
Give an example of a copy number variation?
MECP2
What is the male:female ratio of developing ASD?
4:1
