UCLA UNCOVERS AUTISM DEFECT.Byline: Dana Bartholomew Staff Writer Children with autism autism (ô`tĭzəm), developmental disability resulting from a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain. It is characterized by the abnormal development of communication skills, social skills, and reasoning. lack a key brain activity that would normally help them understand the feelings and intentions of others, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a groundbreaking study by UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX researchers. New magnetic imaging research has shown that, unlike in normal children, the mirror neuron A mirror neuron is a neuron which fires both when an animal acts and when the animal observes the same action performed by another (especially conspecific) animal. Thus, the neuron "mirrors" the behavior of another animal, as though the observer were itself acting. system in autistic autistic /au·tis·tic/ (aw-tis´tik) characterized by or pertaining to autism. children fails to work while they imitate and observe emotions. The UCLA study, published Sunday in the journal Nature Neuroscience, supports evidence that social problems associated with autism are caused by a neurological defect. ``We're really excited,'' said Mirella Dapretto, the study's lead author and assistant professor in residence of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at University of California, Los Angeles UCLA comprises the College of Letters and Science (the primary undergraduate college), seven professional schools, and five professional Health Science schools. Since 2001, UCLA has enrolled over 33,000 total students, and that number is steadily rising. . ``This supports a theory that really accounts for the wide range of core symptoms of autism.'' Normally, mirror neurons fire when a person takes action or observes the same action taken by others. For example, when a girl skips rope, her mirror neurons fire in the inferior frontal gyrus The inferior frontal gyrus is a gyrus of the frontal lobe of the human brain. Its superior border is the inferior frontal sulcus, its inferior border the lateral fissure, and its posterior border is the inferior precentral sulcus. of the brain. When observed by a nonautistic friend, his mirror neurons become active, as well. New studies suggest such brain activity leads us to automatically understand what people intend and how they feel. Autistic children, however, often misunderstand verbal and other cues suggesting anger, joy or other emotions in others. In short, they lack a mature sense of empathy. What UCLA researchers found was that the more autistic symptoms a high-functioning autistic child demonstrated, the less his or her mirror neuron system functioned. Researchers at the Semel Institute compared 10 high-functioning autistic children ages 10 to 14 with 10 normally developing peers using functional magnetic resonance imaging functional magnetic resonance imaging n. Abbr. fMRI Magnetic resonance imaging that provides three-dimensional images of the brain based on changes in blood flow and that can be correlated with brain functions. (MRI 1. (application) MRI - Magnetic Resonance Imaging. 2. MRI - Measurement Requirements and Interface. ) to measure brain activity. During the study, each child was asked to imitate and observe 80 photographs depicting various emotions - anger, fear, happiness, sadness. Unlike the developing children, those with autism had virtually no significant activity in the part of the brain where the mirror neurons function. ``This study proves that the system is dysfunctional in autism and children with autism,'' Dapretto said. ``It opens the way for new ideas and treatments and insights into autism.'' Educators of autistic children lauded the new study, saying it will help in the early intervention ear·ly intervention n. Abbr. EI A process of assessment and therapy provided to children, especially those younger than age 6, to facilitate normal cognitive and emotional development and to prevent developmental disability or delay. of autism. They also said its findings could help fund further research into autism spectrum disorders. ``It allows people to understand what it is that stands in the way of (autistic) children,'' said Laura Stephens, a psychologist who heads the autism spectrum disorder program at The Help Group, which administers three schools for children with autism in Sherman Oaks. ``What it really does show is that what these children are capable of is imitating facial expressions. What they're not doing is processing their emotions. They can do the basics, but they can't understand (them).'' The Help Group - which runs Village Glen, Bridgeport and Sunrise campuses - is one of the few schools in the nation to train students in such social skills as eye contact, facial expressions, tone of voice and body language to ``rewire'' the child's brain. Dana Bartholomew, (818) 713-3730 dana.bartholomew(at)dailynews.com |
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