Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is on the rise. According to Miriam Falco, a journalist for CNN, there are now “one in 68 U.S. children affected by an Autism Spectrum Disorder, a 30% increase from 1 in 88 children two years ago” (Falco). Even though this serious medical disorder is becoming more prominent in today’s society, some individuals still don’t fully understand what autism is and where it affects the brain. In today’s post, we will be looking at what autism is and what part of the brain is affected.
Autism is a complex mental and developmental disability that is formed during the early stages of childhood development: “Experts believe that Autism presents itself during the first three years of a person’s life” (Nordqvist). Autism is also a spectrum disorder, which means the degree of the condition can vary widely from very mild to very severe. “Every child is unique and has his own combination of characteristics. These combine to give him a distinct social communication and behaviour profile” (Mulligan). There are a wide variety of characteristics and symptoms that a person with autism might have, such as “suddenly [changing] from being very passive to very irritable in a short period of time, [having] difficulty using eye gaze appropriately in social situations, and [showing] little interest in getting attention from others” (Mulligan).
The Different Parts of the Brain
Autism is a disorder of the mind. While we are not 100 percent sure of what parts of the brain are affected by autism, experts have some idea of where it takes place thanks to modern medicine: “Using an advanced form of MRI, the researchers were able to examine white matter, the ‘wiring’ that links different areas of the brain. The boys with SPD and autism had reduced connectivity in certain areas of the brain involved in basic sensory information. However, only the boys with autism had impairment in specific parts of the brain essential for social-emotional processing” (Dallas). This probably means that the part of the brain most affected by autism is the region that deals with social skills and sensory information, which is also known as the cerebrum: “The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain and is composed of right and left hemispheres. It performs higher functions like interpreting touch, vision and hearing, as well as speech, reasoning, emotions, learning, and fine control of movement” (Brain).
In conclusion, autism is a very complex spectrum disorder that occurs during the early stages of childhood development. It mainly inhibits social and behavioral skills and probably affects the cerebrum. Autism is a disability that is on the rise and as a result a lot of us know someone who is affected by it. Because of this, it is worthwhile to learn more about autism so that we can sympathize and understand our friends or loved ones who are affected by this disability every day.
Works Cited
“Brain Anatomy.” MayfieldClinic.com. Web. 2 February 2013
Dallas, Mary-Elizabeth. “ Different Areas of Brain Affected by Autism, Sensory Disorders.” MedicineNet.com. Web. 30 July 2014.
Falco, Miriam. “Autism Rates Now 1 in 68 U.S. Children: CDC.” CNN.com. Web. 28 March 2014.
Mulligan, Janice; Steel, Lee. “What Is Autism Spectrum Disorder?” AboutKidsHealth.ca. Web. 9 March 2009.
Nordqvist, Christian. “What Is Autism?” MedicalNewsToday.com. Web. 11 June 2015.
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