Autism

A Neurodevelopmental Journey from Genes to Behaviour

Valsamma Eapen

• Publisher: IntechOpen
• Year: 2011
• Print ISBN:
  9789533074931
• eBook ISBN:
  9789535164487
• Topic: Biological Sciences
• Subtopic: Neuroscience
• Index: Biological Sciences

The book covers some of the key research developments in autism and brings together the current state of evidence on the neurobiologic understanding of this intriguing disorder. The pathogenetic mechanisms are explored by contributors from diverse perspectives including genetics, neuroimaging, neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, neurochemistry, neuroimmunology, neuroendocrinology, functional organization of the brain and clinical applications from the role of diet to vaccines. It is hoped that understanding these interconnected neurobiological systems, the programming of which is genetically modulated during neurodevelopment and mediated through a range of neuropeptides and interacting neurotransmitter systems, would no doubt assist in developing interventions that accommodate the way the brains of individuals with autism function. In keeping with the multimodal and diverse origins of the disorder, a wide range of topics is covered and these include genetic underpinnings and environmental modulation leading to epigenetic changes in the aetiology; neural substrates, potential biomarkers and endophenotypes that underlie clinical characteristics; as well as neurochemical pathways and pathophysiological mechanisms that pave the way for therapeutic interventions.

Table of contents

• Autism - A Neurodevelopmental Journey from Genes to Behaviour
• Contents
• Preface
• Chapter 1 Abnormal Developmental Trajectories of White Matter in Autism - The Contribution of MRI
• Chapter 2 GABAergic Dysfunction in Autism and Epilepsy
• Chapter 3 GABA and Glutamate Receptors of the Autistic Brain
• Chapter 4 The Biochemical Basis of Autistic Behavior and Pathology
• Chapter 5 Serotonergic Neurotransmission in Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Chapter 6 Adenosine and Autism - Recent Research and a New Perspective
• Chapter 7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Alterations in Autism Spectrum Disorders – Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets
• Chapter 8 Identifying Variations Within Unstable€Regions€ of the Genome Reveal€Autism Associated Patterns 147€ Abdullah Alqallaf and Ali Hajjiah {end page}
• Chapter 9 Genome-Wide Association Studies of€ Copy Number Variation in Autism Spectrum Disorder 165€ Hae-Jin Hu and Yeun-Jun Chung Chapter 10 A Missense Mutation in CD38 Associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Three Pedigrees
• Chapter 11 Brain Oxytocin is a Main Regulator of Prosocial Behaviour - Link to Psychopathology
• Chapter 12 Environmental Factors in the Aetiology of Autism – Lessons from Animals Prenatally Exposed to Valproic Acid
• Chapter 13 Environmentally Induced Oxidative Stress and Disruption of Brain Thyroid Hormone Homeostasis in Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Chapter 14 Perinatal Immune Activation and Risk of Autism
• Chapter 15 Immune System and Neurotrophic Factors in Autism
• Chapter 16 Autoimmunity in Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Chapter 17 Vaccines and Autism – An Unlikely Connection
• Chapter 18 Immune Dysfunction in Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Chapter 19 Impaired Oral Tolerance in ASD Children with Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES) – Altered Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses in ASD Children Recovered from FPIES in Comparison with non-ASD/FPIES and ASD/non-FPIES Children
• Chapter 20 Clinical Evaluations on the Diagnosis of Autism
• Chapter 21 Loneliness and Silence in Autism - Implications for Psychotherapy
• Chapter 22 Mnesic Imbalance and the Neuroanatomy of Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Chapter 23 Behavioral and Electrophysiological Characterization of Induced Neural Plasticity in the Autistic Brain
• Chapter 24 Connecting Electroencephalography Profiles with the Gamma-Amino-Butyric Acid (GABA) Neuropathology of Autism as a Prelude to Treatment