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Posts Tagged “

Autism

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non-neurotypicals

Autism Genes Are Linked to Early Learning

Most studies of autism link it to genetics. The condition is often referred to as the "geek syndrome" because some studies have shown a high incidence of autism in areas like California's Silicon Valley, where highly technical people are having children together. Scientific studies have backed up the idea that autism is genetic, identifying several genes that seem implicated in the disorder. Now a new study has revealed that many of the genes associated with autism are — luckily — ones whose functioning can be modified in early childhood. Autism genes are associated with early learning and are essentially designed to be reprogrammed — so, given the right learning environment, children born with autism could rewire their brains and be spared the worst effects of this disorder. More »

2:00 PM on Sat Jul 12 2008
By Annalee Newitz
46,458 views, 18 comments

Latest by lamorevincera: What I'd love to see delved into is the socio-economic factors. I was a preschool teacher for a while. We had two classes - the pre-k that was free to the parents and funded by the Georgia lottery, and the private more »

mad neuroscience

Manipulating a Single Protein in Your Brain Creates "Autistic Savants"

Some autistics are known as "autistic savants" because they develop a genius in one subject, such as mathematics or art. New research shows this syndrome can be induced by tinkering with one protein in the brain which is responsible for building synapses, the brain structures that help neurons talk to each other. Neuroscientists at MIT (pictured) bred rats that lacked this protein, known as Shank1, and discovered the creatures could do spacial learning an extremely rapid clip, though they showed other signs of severe autism. These neuroscientists' work could go in two directions: curing some kinds of autism, and inducing selective superintelligence. More »

10:20 AM on Thu Feb 21 2008
By Annalee Newitz
3,743 views, 12 comments

Latest by str88f: - Capt. Mensa: "all we need is to open this packet of salt, put in the cracks in the rock and pour on this conveniently placed bucket of water to make the salt expand so the rock breaks up, then more »

neuroscience

One Pill Makes You Autistic -- And One Pill Changes You Back

Need to finish that work project, and wish you had the mental intensity to do it? Just take a synapse-regulating inhibitor, induce temporary autism, and you'll want to ignore your friends and do nothing but number-crunching for days. Autism-inducers could become as popular as Provigil among the geek set by 2020. Last night, in fact, a group German researchers announced they'd perfected the method for inducing autism. (They can also cure it.) More »

7:30 AM on Tue Jan 29 2008
By Annalee Newitz
151,315 views, 45 comments