Teasing Nature Vs Nurture : The Case Of Autism

“There is no known cause of autism. Current research links autism to biological or neurological differences in the brain – although at this time no gene has been directly linked to autism.”(2, pg 105) Several theories, which exist, link the disorder to environmental and genetic factors. One such research project, performed by Vijendra K. Singh, Ph.D., is based on the concept of “Neuro-immunopathogenesis in Autism.” (1, pg. 26) Doctor Vijendra K. Singh identified his research and resolution as follows:

Autism is the main form of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Autism is a developmental disorder that is manifested in problems with communication, impairment of social functioning, and repetitive behaviours. According to the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), ASD diagnoses must meet four different areas of criteria. There are three symptoms of "deficits in social communication and interaction across contexts," four symptoms of "restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests, or activities," "symptoms must be present in early childhood," and the symptoms must "together limit and impair everyday functioning" (Carpenter, 2013). There are many theoretical positions on the causes of autism spectrum disorders. Some of which have been discounted by empirical studies that have been researched and performed.

Autism according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary is defined as “a variable developmental disorder that appears by age three and is characterized by impairment of the ability to form normal social relationships, to commutate with others, and by stereotyped behavior patterns.” Autism was believed to be a psychiatric or emotional illness, and doctors told mothers that they were the cause. They were wrong. The cause for autism is still a mystery, however, the facts remain that autism in children is on the rise. Erin Allday of the San Francisco Chronicle writes, “Environmental factors play a more important role in causing autism than previously assumed and, surprisingly, an even larger role than genetic.” There are theories based on that

The study displayed a higher risk for children developing autism if a family member was already affected by the disorder and ten times more likely if a sibling was affected. This study concluded that genetics and environmental factors work together to play a role in the development of autism. Genetics was estimated at 83 percent and environmental influence was estimated at 17 percent. Even though genetics still plays a larger part in the development of autism, environmental factors play a role as well (Large Study Suggests, 2012; Staff, X.S, 2013).

To understand the etiology of Autism one must understand that Autism belongs to a group of developmental disabilities that have been identified as Autism Spectrum Disorders. The name "spectrum” indicates that the disorder is broad and it affects each individual differently. Autism Spectrum Disorder commonly referred to as (ASD) encompass delays in the development of many basic skills. These delays in development include but are not limited to: limited or inability to properly socialize or establish relationships with others, effective communication skills, restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. Individuals with Autism may also have (ID) intellectual disabilities,

While there are many theories there is no single cause of autism. One theory assumes multiple factors interacting in complex ways (i.e. genes, environment and brain) can cause autism. Genetics play a role but do not explain the full picture or the recent increase in reported cases. According to Volkmar and Weisner (2009), "Identical twins have identical genes, while fraternal twins share only some genes. The implication of this finding was that there was potentially a very strong genetic contribution in autism. A number of studies have shown that this is the case. " (p. 26). There are medical conditions associated with autism which include, phenylketonuria, congenital rubella, tuberous sclerosis, and Fragile X. The strongest associations are with Fragile X, a genetic condition causing intellectual disability and tuberous sclerosis, a genetic disorder that causes tumors to form in many different organs, primarily in the brain, eyes, heart. There is no strong evidence that environmental etologies cause autism. Some researchers assume that environmental toxins can increase the rate of autism, but evidence proposed for environmental factors is based on a case by case report which is difficult to interpret (Volkmar & Weisner,

Autism is described as a neurodevelopmental disorder that inhibits characteristics like impaired social interaction, difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, cognitive disorders and repetitive behavior.

People say many different things create serial killers, some believe society breaks them down, but others argue that mental illness is the only reason that these monsters turn to cruelty and insanity. In today's psychological world, there are a number of areas that deal with a great amount of controversy, and one of the most hotly debated is the issue of nature versus nurture. Nature versus nurture examines the relationship between traits that are inherited and the environmental factors that surround us. What is each role in development? Nature refers to the characteristics that we inherit at birth which influence our personality, physical maturity, intellectual capacity and social interactions.

From the time autism was identified in the 1940s, several theories have tried to explain its etiology. The earliest theories proposed as origin of autism was framed in the context of the early psychiatric models in the 1940’s, and believed that autism was “an acquired condition associated with children raised by cold, emotionally-distant mothers” (Schaefer, ***). Another early hypothesis proposed as being a risk for developing autistic disorder was the use of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine or the preservative thimerosal, but this hypothesis has been disproved (Anagnostou, Zwaigenbaum…., pg 510). It is now known that autism is a condition with a strong genetic basis, with more than 80% heritability (Meng-chang pg 903), but just like almost every medical condition known to man, it has several genetic and environmental risk factors. As mentioned earlier, autistic disorder is 4.5 times more common in males than females, which

The current research of ASD has concluded this disorder is as complex as the predisposing factors. Freitag et al. stated that “the current evidence therefore points to ASD being a highly complex process involving multiple contributing loci, genetic heterogeneity, gene-gen interactions, and gene-environment interactions” (as cited in Johnson et al., 2017). In other words, there is no single cause genetically or environmentally that causes ASD to occur. Some environmental factors before birth include both premature birth and low weight at birth, as well as breech, cesarean, and the mother having multiple births; maternal stress, viral infection during pregnancy, use of reproductive medications and artificial insemination, and mothers over the age of 35 also have positive correlations with the occurrence of ASD (Johnson et al., 2017). Other environmental factors implicated in the manifestation of ASD are exposure to large amounts of environmental pollutants (Johnson et al., 2017).

A big question that has been raised, is autism a result of biological or environmental influences? People have been debating this for the better part of the last two decades. There was even a debate in one of classes in collage on how people get autism. An article from the National Center for Biotechnology Information states its nature and you are born with these unique tendencies (Strathearn, 2009). As an Occupational Therapy Assistant(OTA) that works with children with this disorder I have to agree it is nature. A great example from work is two brother, they have great parents who did all the right things when it came to having them but both of them have a diagnosis of autism. They are really cool boys one of them even has a great aptitude to draw really great portraits of his classmates during his free time. Based on the article mentioned earlier and my open personal

According to Shangraw (2012), there is no concrete etiology of autism because it is not diagnosed by its cause but on observed behaviors. The Autism-Society (n.d.) stated that a possibility for the cause of autism is the abnormalities in the brain structure or function. In an MRI research study by Piven et al. (1995), they found that an individual with autism spectrum disorder had a higher total brain volume and tissue compared to a person who is not on the autism spectrum disorder. Genetic problems and environmental factors can be a cause of autism spectrum disorder, according to the Mayo Clinic (2014). In genetic problems such as fragile X syndrome or Rett Syndrome, it can be associated with autism spectrum disorder. There is ongoing research regarding environmental factors and exploring ideas such as viral infections, pregnancy complications, and / or air pollutants to determine if they are active factors of autism spectrum disorder.

One the biggest psychological disorders in our society is childhood autism. Childhood autism is defined as “A pervasive developmental disorder defined by the presence of abnormal and/or impaired development that is manifest before the age of 3 years, and by the characteristic type of abnormal functioning in all three areas of social interaction, communication, and restricted, repetitive behaviour.” (MHresource.org). Furthermore, boys are three to four more times likely to develop childhood autism than girls (MHresources.org). Statistics also show that the prevalence of childhood autism in births is one in fifty-nine and has grown 119.4 percent from 2000 to 2010 (CDC). Now, researchers are looking into what causes childhood autism. They are

According to the CDC, autism is “a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges (Facts About Autism, 2016)”. Autism was first discussed in 1943 by Dr. Leo Kanner, after he observed 11 children who had fixations on the inanimate environment rather than people (Quick Facts About Autism). It affects about one percent of the population, and is

The neurodevelopmental disorders, according to the DSM 5, are a group of conditions with onset in the developmental period. The disorders typically manifest early in development, often before the child enters grade school, and are characterized by developmental deficits that produce impairments of personal, social, academic, or occupational functioning. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is newly classified as such; it was once classified as “Asperger’s Syndrome.” ASD is a severe neurodevelopmental impairment. The disorder limits the functioning capabilities of children and their capacity to communicate as well as interact with others. ASD effects how children perceive the world around them; socializing with others happens to be the most vital piece of development. Onset for ASD can occur as early as infancy, some children, however, may develop normal and then begin to suddenly withdraw and become unusually aggressive with those around them, they also begin to lose vocabulary and language skills they’ve once had. Other medical conditions may be comorbid with ASD; for example, epilepsy, intellectual and structural language disorders, mental disorders, sleep disorders, and avoidant-restrictive food intake disorders, (DSM 5, pg. 59).