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    Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm

    3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
    612-822-4611

Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm
3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611
The Neurochemical Basis of Autism: From Molecules to Minicolumns

The Neurochemical Basis of Autism: From Molecules to Minicolumns

Blatt, Gene J.

Hardcover

Medical Reference

ISBN10: 1441912711
ISBN13: 9781441912718
Publisher: Springer Nature
Published: Dec 14 2009
Pages: 295
Weight: 1.25
Height: 0.90 Width: 6.20 Depth: 9.10
Language: English
Withtherecentlyperceivedincreaseinincidenceofautismandtherealizationthat autismmayactuallybeautismswithsubsetsofaffectedindividuals, researchers have been pursuing the possibility that there may be multiple etiologies for the disorder.Althoughmostautismstudieshavefocusedongeneticsandadvancedn- roimaging, thereisapaucityofresearchaimedatdeterminingtheneurochemical basisofautism.Identifyingcoreneuralsubstratesorkeybiomarkersisessentialto understandingthemechanisticbasisthatmayinpartunderlieautisms.Alterations inmolecules, proteins, receptors, andsynapticelementsaresomeofthecontrib- ingsubstratesthatcouldresultinaltereddevelopmentalprocesses, changedsynaptic function, andaberrationsinconnectivity.Itisnowapparentthatmultiplebrainareas are affected in autism, and neuropathological defects have been described within corticalandsubcorticalnetworks.Althoughrecentprogresshasbeenmadeinid- tifyingsomeofthegenesthatmayunderliethedisorder, muchattentionhasalso beengiventoepigeneticand/orenvironmentalfactorsthatmaycontributetosubsets ofautisticindividuals. The contributors to this book were hand selected because of their expertise in their respective ?elds. Individually each chapter presents a unique perspective into the clinical, developmental, neurochemical, and/or physical chemical basis of autism. The contributing authors summarize current research ?ndings in their respective areas and also present novel ideas and propose hypotheses and p- sible mechanisms that may be operative during development and the potential consequencesofhavingdefectsinspeci?cmolecules, receptors, orgenes. ThesubtitleFromMoleculestoMinicolumnswasinsertedbecauseofmuch recent attention given to alterations in the basic organization of mini- or mic- columns of neurons in cerebral cortical areas in autism. These especially include prefrontalcorticalareasthatundergoanovergrowthduringearlypostnataldevel- mentinmanyindividualswithautism.Tothisend, theworldrenownedDr.Alan Peters, theneuroanatomistthatoriginallydescribedmini-ormicro-columnaror- nizationinthecerebralcortex, wasrecruitedtowriteachapterinthisbookgiving hisexpertperspectiveontheissueinautism. The book begins with highly respected clinician, Dr. Margaret L. Bauman, DirectoroftheLADDERSclinicintheBostonarea, withaclinicalandmedicalp- spectiveofautismdiscussingetiologies, clinicalpresentation, earlyidenti?cation, vii viii Preface advancementsinmedicalcare, andassociateddisorders.InthechapterTheMale Prevalence in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Hypotheses on its Neurobiological Basis, ItalianresearchersDrs.FlavioKellerandLilianaRutapresentneuroch- ical hypotheses as the basis for the predominance of male prevalence in autism discussing the possible roles of estrogen, testosterone, oxytocin, and vasopressin in the organization of brain circuits and hemispheric specialization. Psychiatrist Dr. Ricardo Vella relates neuropathologies in autism, in the limbic and cereb- lar regions, to speci?c behaviors and presents a developmental perspective and hypotheses regarding emotional and attachment behaviors in autistic individuals.

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