Parents/genes/autism causes

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/.../

Not spacing pregnancies properly can increase the risk, 18 months- 2years is ideal. My mother became pregnant with me only nine had me 9 months after my sister was born. This results in a lack of nutrients to repair DNA mutations, folate, Vitamin D, vitamin B12. Also having children later in life increases the number of mutations in the baby. 

the book "neurotribes" answer many of these questions and concerns. it's a quick enough read.

There is some evidence for problems during pregnancy and possibly labour influencing the development of autism in the child. However, there is little direct evidence of what these problems are. There is some evidence that low levels of folate and the presence of maternal antibodies to foetal tissue may play a role. There is also limited evidence that maternal diet and the maternal gut microbiome may also play a part.

Wow that’s interesting about your grandads brother. I also think my grandad had autism . For example he was a quiet lone wolf type character in school in the 50’s. He lived in squalor, in a house that seemed abandoned. Dressed in the same clothes, wallpaper peeling from the walls, carpets Worn away leaving the dusty floorboards visible. Old curtains from the 60’s half fallen hanging from the ceiling to cover the mouldy dirty windows. He drank alone in his house to the background noise of 60’s Beatles music through his record player. 

Suffering upon suffering.

Absolutely!

Ben

Ben said:

.and if my memory serves me right, a great number of them had become institutionalised and just couldn't look after themselves so ended up living on the streets, homeless

Indeed.

Suffering upon suffering.

I remember the 'care in the community' coming into effect when psychiatric units were closed and people being released who had spent too many years incarcerated.

...and if my memory serves me right, a great number of them had become institutionalised and just couldn't look after themselves so ended up living on the streets, homeless. 

Ben

It seems that most research has been on genetic factors. I have read that environmental factors may be a small influence, but I'm not sure what the source data for that is. 

Slacker said:

After what sounds like frequent meltdowns he was detained under an order in a mental asylum - now closed since 1997, the year I was born - where he stayed until he died in the late 60s. Sad to think that back then you were treated like you were suffering insanity. I feel bad for him, and others, who were wrongly detained for simply being different.

That's so sad to hear.

Yes, even pregnant unmarried women/mothers were locked away.

I remember the 'care in the community' coming into effect when psychiatric units were closed and people being released who had spent too many years incarcerated.

Although of course any years incarcerated without good cause is too many.

I've got no links, though I'll certainly be researching this as it's something I've thought of frequently and wondered about. It's an intriguing thought, what causes autism? I think primarily it likely is genetics. I've got four other siblings and out of them three are also autistic, as is my mum, so definitely in our family it's genetics it seems.

Either that or it's the chips my mum keeps serving us!

Looking back through the family tree it seems my grandfather's brother George was also autistic but I think he must have been severe as he didn't cope well in adult life. After what sounds like frequent meltdowns he was detained under an order in a mental asylum - now closed since 1997, the year I was born - where he stayed until he died in the late 60s. Sad to think that back then you were treated like you were suffering insanity. I feel bad for him, and others, who were wrongly detained for simply being different. I'm glad things aren't quite that bad anymore.

Forgot to say, my sisters son is also autistic, just diagnosed last year.

I've not been able to find any evidence of any causes of autism other than genetic.

Can anyone else link to anything about non-genetic causes that's not speculative (or share knowledge)?

Thanks.

JuniperFromGallifrey said:

Autistic individuals seem attracted to Blues and Greens

My clothes are 80% blue, 10% green and 10% grey.

Interesting.

Thank you all for your input so far.

Fascinating stuff.

All humans have the GENES to be lucky enough to be Autistic-Neural-Wired, or genetic code.  But it's not always switched on and this is believed hereditary from either side. 

I have a neighbour who's working in genetics in the UK and this is the current science. Newer research papers will show this information, but it can take a long time for it to get updated. 

Autism Speaks is incredibly biased and Privately Owned. If it were discovered anyone could be autistic with the right parents and it's necessary to have a few for any 'tribe' to stay alive, they might lose their organisation status and possibly lose money and people might begin to see Autism like a Personality Trait. WORSE, they'd have to start examining the actual problem, which is a modern unaccountable capitalist corporate-run consumer ruin. If Autistic Traits are necessary for human survival and those traits involve an ability to see through the smoke and mirrors, this is bad for advertising, it's bad for PR, it's potentially lethal for anyone in power.

One of the overlooked issues is that ADHD and Autism tend to be part of the same hereditary lines. 2 key factors play a role which link these:

1. Gamma / GABA factors. Gamma waves are responsible for full-brain thinking, making hyper-connexions & seemingly invisible ones faster than others can spot them. GABA act like little 'resistors', keeping them from spiralling out of control. This is part of Monotropism. There is a great deal of things involved in this, but this is a quick summary.

2. A difference in the Salience Network, and thus the ability to see things as 'Too Real' or intaking signals all at once and experiencing sensory overload. When well-trained this can work to our favour, as one can be taught to identify extremely detailed nuance, such as the difference between a toxic chemically designed scent and one which is a natural extract. Or sound frequencies. 

Where these differ can be a matter of enjoying or not enjoying the mental chaos. Autistics prefer order and one thing at a time to maintain some sense of calm. ADHD seem wired for high energy multi-everything. There are some interesting studies showing that ADHD individuals appreciate Reds and Oranges while Autistic individuals seem attracted to Blues and Greens. This... I find interesting. 

Yeh I think it could be genetic, my mum definitely has autism in my eyes (not diagnosed) so does her dad (my grandad). I have a good eye for telling if someone else is autistic, it must be because I am autistic myself and I look for the subtle signs. My dad is definitely not autistic neither is anyone on his side of the family. A new study in Taiwan just linked diabetes in pregnant mothers to children having autism. 

Hibernating said:

Could we inherit autism from our mothers?

From anecdotal evidence, the number of women diagnosed because their children were suggests this is possible, although the fathers of the children may also be autistic, I do not have enough data to know that.

In my case (no diagnoses so feel free to discount) we reckon my Dad definitely is, and that his mother was. Not sure about my Mum, possible traits but very sociable, but there is certainly autism on her side of the family among my cousins and probably her sister.

The fact that we seem to get on with other autistic people might confuse things though, as it is possible there are more than average pairings of two autistic parents, but this is pure speculation. I also speculate there are more of us out there undiagnosed than people think! Especially women, so if there are more undiagnosed mothers out there than is known then that skews any data.

Invaluable here 

Happy to be able to do so. It isn't often a background in genetics is useful in real life. 

Thank you for that clarification.