Current Event Report: Autism

Charles Vorbach                                                                         March 21, 2014 

Earth Science/CD Odd                                                               Mrs. McClellan

Lord, Catherine. "Autism: Human Social Behavior and Communication." Stavros Niarchos Foundation:     Brain Insight Lectures. Columbia University / Miller Theatre 2960 Broadway (at 116th Street),             New York City. 19 Mar. 2014. Lecture.

My current event report is on the lecture “Autism: Human Social Behavior and Communication” held as part of Columbia University’s Brain Month. The presenter Catherine Lord is a behavioral scientist heading the New York Presbyterian’s Center for Autism and the Developing Brain and discussed the need for neuroscience to study autism. The lecture began with the symptoms of autism. Autism is such a broad spectrum of associated conditions that to create a standard measure of severity, scientists have begun using a universal test where a child is observed playing with certain toys. Comparing videos of young children completing these tests, the presenter demonstrated how repetitive behaviors and social disability group all autism spectrum orders. This test is key to bringing the study of Autism to more quantitative sciences. To date, behavioral science alone has successfully treated autism. However, early intervention, and skills practice have a limited ability to only treat autism’s symptoms. Other fields, such as genetics or neuroscience, which could treat the cause more effectively have been frustrated by the difficulties in producing quantifiable results, and the multitude of factors involved in the disease. With only social disability and repetitive behavior unifying the spectrum, autism’s symptoms are varied, and deeply affected by the individual’s environment. On the other side, the causes are as diverse. Autism is associated with having an older mother, being middle class, and being born with a variation of the MET gene among countless others factors.  However, there is hope. The universal autism test now allows for far more quantifiable results and larger data pools. Technological innovation has also caused bounds in studying autism. Conscious MRI scans allow for an inside image of the brain, researchers could only dream of before. Finally, study can not help but clarify our knowledge of autism. Most recently discovered is how random “junk” DNA variations can be critical in causing autism. With enough time and effort, Autism will be understood on the most basic level, and cured.

           

            Autism is a debilitating disease which cripples more than one percent of the United States, but now neuroscience promises to end it. This huge number, around three million people, doesn’t include the many who go unreported, or the family members who are affected. The social cost is enormous, with suffering individuals often unable to care for themselves or understand normal social interaction. Even those slightly autistic are handicapped. To assist these people, a cure must be found. While behavioral science has been able to adapt suffers of autism to normal life and genetics to measure the probability of its occurrence, only neuroscience can change problem itself. Both other sciences are drowned in the many causes and effects of autism. In the brain the causes turn effects. If neuroscientists can find what all the causes become effects or what trace the source of the symptoms, they almost certainly will be able to treat it.  By finding and solving that single problem, neuroscience has the potential to eliminate autism and save millions.

            The lecture “Autism: Human Social Behavior and Communication” was well done, but could be slightly improved. The presentation was interesting because it showed the presenter’s study of autistic children, and brought up breakthroughs she had made. The presenter clearly illustrated the characteristics of autism across age and severity levels in an engaging way by showing videos. However, the point of the lecture became less clear as it progressed. She spent nearly half of the time discussing the value of her universal test, and only touched on the use of neuroscience in studying autism rarely. If the presentation was more focused on the topic, and the presenter clarified how each evidence connected to neuroscience’s role, the lecture would delivered more of a point, been more informative, and easier for the audience to understand.

            Two amazing science news websites, which balance technical understanding with clarity for the general public well, are http://www.sciencedaily.com/ and http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/.