Key Issue - Is autism an extreme male condition?

Starter In pairs, write down whatever you know about Autism

Video What is Autism http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL5GHMEjzt8&fe ature=player_embedded Watch and make notes.

Describing the issue of Autism: A condition that children develop not an obtainable disease. Characterised by children not being able to empathise with others (see next slide). Baron-Cohen believe autistic children have high systemising ability – find it hard to understand other people. Some autistic children have a low IQ and therefore this systemising process takes form in the sense of an obsession, memorising phone numbers etc. They are low empathising – High systemising

Some characteristics of autism Lack of empathy for others Inability to show love or emotions Difficulties in understanding people Lower than normal language ability Low levels of imaginative thinking Problems with communicating with others and building social relationships Low IQ A preference for order and organisation, and a resistance to change Obsessional behaviour

Autistic Spectrum There is an autistic spectrum – a continuum of autism. Goes from mild Asperger’s Then through Asperger’s to Autism Higher up the scale (red) the more severe

Asperger's Syndrome

So what about savants? A condition in which a person with a mental disability, such as an autism spectrum disorder, demonstrates profound and prodigious capacities or abilities far in excess of what would be considered normal. People with savant syndrome may have neurodevelopmental disorders, notably autism spectrum disorders, or brain injuries. The most dramatic examples of savant syndrome occur in individuals who score very low on IQ tests while demonstrating exceptional skills or brilliance in specific areas, such as rapid calculation, art, memory, or musical ability

Autism About three quarters of all autistic people are male. About 90% of people with aspergers are male. This suggests that it is a male condition

Do all males have some autistic traits? Males are better systems and less good at emotions: Girls = Boys =

Application Explanation rests on the idea that males use right hemisphere more than females but less bilateral. Boys brains grow faster than girls, those with autism show growth to an ‘extreme’ degree. Bailey et al. (1994) – male brains are heavier than females, autistic male brains even heavier than normal. Normal males have a smaller corpus callosum than normal females. In people with autism the corpus callosum is even smaller. Amygdala abnormally large Large amount of neurones (Courchesne, 2011)

Application Males are generally stronger at spatial tasks than females and people with autism seem to be even better at spatial tasks (assembling). Males develop language more slowly than females and people with autism are very slow to develop language. Could be linked to girls being exposed to high levels of testosterone (Baron-Cohen & Wheelwright, 2006). Read the short snippet of his 2005 study (p294) and discuss.

Simon Baron-Cohen (Biological-Extreme Male Brain) Baron-Cohen (2005) suggests that the brain structure of an autistic person is an exaggeration of normal male brain structure. He argues that there are many similarities between the brain structure of an autistic person and the brain structure of a normal male.

Sally-Anne Test (Theory of Mind) - Baron-Cohen, Leslie, Frith (1985) Theory of mind is the ability to understand your own and other peoples belief, desires, intentions and perspectives. TOM is important because ‘the ability to make inferences about what other people believe to be the case in a given situation allows one to predict what they will do’, Baron-Cohen, Leslie, Frith (1985), p39 Tom may explain some social and communicational difficulties that autistic people experience.

Sally-Anne Test (Theory of Mind) - Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41jSdOQQpv0 What does this video tell us about children with autism? Where will Sally look for her marble? The TOM BIG question. In the study 80% of autistic children got the wrong (4/20 got it correct) . 14% of children with Downs Syndrome got it wrong (12/14 got it correct). 15% of a typical child got it wrong (23/27 got it right)

A genetic basis for autism Research using twins has found a concordance rate of 60-90% for autism in monozygotic twins, but only 5% in dizygotic twins.

Other reasons for autism-Genetics Autism may be undiagnosed PKU-a genetic disorder not an extreme male brain condition. Autism and PKU often co-occur.

Environmental Causes MMR jab has been linked with autism but this has been disproved. Cold, harsh parenting has been linked with autism but this has been also disproved. Difficulties at birth have been linked to autism but it is hard to establish whether the difficulties cause autism or autism in the unborn child leads to the difficulties.

Research against extreme male brain theory Autistic people do not have greater brain lateralisation than normal people. This goes against the idea of autistic people having an extreme male brain.

Can neglect cause autism? Dr. Stanley Greenspan is a physician and psychoanalyst and one of the world's top authorities on autism. According to Greenspan (2009), neglect is one of the causes for autism. Scientific studies have shown that neglect causes changes in brain physiology: Another study showed a direct link between neglect in baby rats and autistic-like symptoms in their offspring, along with genetic changes that perpetuate the symptoms in the offspring's offspring.

What do you think?

D.A.R.C.O.C. – (Summarise)

D.A.R.C.O.C. – (Describe) (here you are describing the issue without using psychology) A condition that children develop rather than a disease. Child is generally unable to empathise with others or love and emotion (explain why this is a problem). Low IQ. There is an autistic spectrum, including Aspergers, Syndrome, High functioning and low functioning autism.

D.A.R.C.O.C. – (Describe) Have a high systemising ability, sometimes in the form of an obsession (staring, memorising). Males are better at systemising and less good at emotions (girls like dolls, boys like building toys – girls quieter, boys play roughly – girls more verbal, boys more spatial) At the end say that ‘there are lots of research suggesting that autism could be linked to the male brain’…

D.A.R.C.O.C. – (Application) (here you explain the issue using concepts and ideas from the biological approach – explanation rests on the ideas that autism is an extreme version of the male brain…) Males seem to use their right hemisphere more, so more lateralised – girls more bi-lateral. Boys brains grow more quickly than girls – autistic children (b & g) show this to an extreme degree. The amygdala (where emotional reactions are centered including aggression) is larger in young children.

D.A.R.C.O.C. – (Application) Male foetuses produce testosterone in their testes and females in their adrenal glands – girls could be exposed to high levels of testosterone. Normal males have a smaller corpus callosum than normal females. In people with autism the corpus callosum is even smaller. Is this supported by any research?

D.A.R.C.O.C. – (Research) Baron-Cohen (2005) suggests that the brain structure of an autistic person is an exaggeration of normal male brain structure. He argues that there are many similarities between the brain structure of an autistic person and the brain structure of a normal male.

D.A.R.C.O.C. – (Research) Baron-Cohen (2005) suggests that the brain structure of an autistic person is an exaggeration of normal male brain structure. He argues that there are many similarities between the brain structure of an autistic person and the brain structure of a normal male.

D.A.R.C.O.C. – (Research) One study carried out by BC’s team showed girls are more empathising and boys more orientated to systems. 1-day-old babies set so they could look at either researchers face or a ball. 43% boys looked at the ball for 10 seconds longer than the face. 17% of girls looked at the ball for 10 seconds longer than the face.

D.A.R.C.O.C. – (Research) Studies generally show that women are better at making eye contact and better at understanding body language than men. Women are better at social contact, linked to testosterone levels in developing foetus.

D.A.R.C.O.C. – (Research) Other research…. Baron-Cohen, Leslie, Frith (1985) Theory of mind is the ability to understand your own and other peoples belief, desires, intentions and perspectives. Where will Sally look for her marble? The TOM BIG question. In the study 80% of autistic children got the wrong (4/20 got it correct) . 14% of children with Downs Syndrome got it wrong (12/14 got it correct). 15% of a typical child got it wrong (23/27 got it right) What does this demonstrate about the issue?

D.A.R.C.O.C. – (Research) Other research…. Baron-Cohen, S., Jollife, T., Mortimore, C. & Robertson, M. (1997) Another advanced test of theory of mind: evidence from very high functioning adults with autism or Asperger syndrome. Mean score on the Eye Task - Adults with autism or Asperger syndrome = 16.3 - 'Normal' adults = 20.3 - Adults with Tourette syndrome = 20.4

D.A.R.C.O.C. – (Research) So clearly an extreme version of the male brain (keep referring back to the key issue)… this is backed up by physiological evidence… Herbert looked very carefully at autistic children's brains on MRI scans. She noticed their brains were bigger than those of children who did not have autism 2. Biological evidence backing up psychological concept as observed in BC…

D.A.R.C.O.C. – (Critisise) What are the problems with the research into autism (BC and autopsies)? Mind map with a partner…

D.A.R.C.O.C. – (Other suggestions/research) Genetic stance - Research using twins has found a concordance rate of 60-90% for autism in monozygotic twins, but only 5% in dizygotic twins. Genetic stance - Autism may be undiagnosed PKU-a genetic disorder not an extreme male brain condition. Environmental stance - Greenspan (2009), neglect is one of the causes for autism. Scientific studies have shown that neglect causes changes in brain physiology: A direct link between neglect in baby rats and autistic-like symptoms in their offspring, along with genetic changes that perpetuate the symptoms in the offspring's offspring.

D.A.R.C.O.C. – (Conclusion) Explain that although nothing is conclusive you think….