Autism is a developmental disorder that affects one in 150 children in the United States. The characteristics of the disorder are difficulties in communication, repetitive behaviors, and impaired social interactions. Dr. Mark Mehler, author of the new study, believes that autism is caused by impaired regulation of the local coeruleus, a bundle of neurons in the brain that processes sensory signals from the body and, among other things, produces fevers.
"We are talking about a brain region that is not irrevocably altered," Dr. Mehler said. "It gives us hope that with novel therapies we will eventually be able to help people with autism."
Though hopeful about the future of autism treatments, Dr. Mehler warned parents against unrealistic optimism.
"You can't take a complex neuropsychiatric disease that has escaped our understanding for 50 years and in one fell swoop have a therapy that is going to reverse it," he said. "That's folly." Yet, he wrote, he does believe that increases in scientific understanding of autistic brains may result in drug therapies to help autistic people.
Dr. Mehler's study appeared in the journal Brain Research Reviews.
Labels: autism, research, treatment
Posted By: Aspen/CRC