Washington D.C., May 8: The prime time for brain development in a child's life is the first year, where the infant spends most of the time asleep. It is the time when neural connections form and sensory memories are encoded.
However, when sleep is disrupted, as occurs more often among children with autism, brain development may be affected, too.
New research led by the University of Washington finds that sleep problems in a baby's first 12 months may not only precede an autism diagnosis but also may be associated with altered growth trajectory in a key part of the brain, the hippocampus.
The study, which was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, researchers report that in a sample of more than 400 taken of 6- to 12-month-old infants, those who were later diagnosed with autism were more likely to have had difficulty falling asleep.
It also states that this sleep difficulty was associated with altered growth trajectories in the hippocampus.
"The hippocampus is critical for learning and memory, and changes in the size of the hippocampus have been associated with poor sleep in adults and older children.
As many as 80 per cent of the children with autism spectrum disorder have sleep problems," said Annette Estes, director of the UW Autism Center and senior author of the study.
"In our clinical experience, parents have a lot of concerns about their children's sleep, and in our work on early autism intervention, we observed that sleep problems were holding children and families back," added Estes, who is also a UW professor of speech and hearing sciences.
"It could be that altered sleep is part-and-parcel of autism for some children. One clue is that behavioural interventions to improve sleep don't work for all children with autism, even when their parents are doing everything just right. This suggests that there may be a biological component to sleep problems for some children with autism," said Estes.
To consider links among sleep, brain development, and autism, researchers at the IBIS Network looked at MRI scans of 432 infants, surveyed parents about sleep patterns, and measured cognitive functioning using a standardized assessment.
At the outset of the study, infants were classified according to their risk for developing autism: Those who were at higher risk of developing autism -- about two-thirds of the study sample -- had an older sibling who had already been diagnosed.
Infant siblings of children with autism have a 20 per cent chance of developing autism spectrum disorder -- a much higher risk than children in the general population.
In the current study, 127 of the 432 infants were identified as "low risk" at the time the MRI scans were taken because they had no family history of autism.
They later evaluated all the participants at 24 months of age to determine whether they had developed autism. Of the roughly 300 children originally considered "high familial risk," 71 were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at that age.
Problems with sleep were more common among the infants later diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, as were larger hippocampi. No other subcortical brain structures were affected, including the amygdala, which is responsible for certain emotions and aspects of memory, or the thalamus, a signal transmitter from the spinal cord to the cerebral cortex.
The authors note that while parents reported more sleep difficulties among infants who developed autism compared to those who did not, the differences were very subtle and only observed when looking at group averages across hundreds of infants.
Sleep patterns in the first years of life change rapidly as infants transition from sleeping around the clock to a more adult-like sleep/wake cycle. Until further research is completed, Estes said, it is not possible to interpret challenges with sleep as an early sign of increased risk for autism.
Ms Revati, who was posted in Bhatkal town police station, in a complaint to the state chief minister and home minister, has claimed that a few senior police officers in Uttara Kannada tried to cover up the case of attempt to create communal tension in the district.
Comments
That police establishments even in non BJP ruled states work hand in glove with the anti- people fascist RSS is a sad commentary of how our constitutional system is time and again challenged with impunity. Except for few courageous officers who work with conviction the police system as such is corrupted with persuasion of a virulent 'Indian Ideology' as much as the political system is.
That RSS and the police establishments often work hand in glove with each other even in many states ruled by non BJP 'secular' dispensations is a sad commentary on the virulence of the so called nationalism and patriotism propelled by an ' Indian Ideology '
Naushad, CONG not only supporting and BUT hiding in chaddis.....Hijdas
Whoever does this whether he's Muslim,Hindu, Christian or from any other community or religion if try to disturb peace and try to hurt somebodies sentiment to be punished maximum.
Actually the Police authority are the only authority can make peace, keep peace, if they want.
Please Respect each other, their reliogion, their community Etc.
LIV ,LET THEM LIV and ALLOW EVERYBODY TO LIV PEACEFUL LIFE.
Hahaha. That fellow became PM by throwing beef at temple and goes to pakistan for having tea
As Sanaulla said we are peace loving people we are business camunity. What ms Reviti has stated is true inquiry must be done by C B I this is not a first time that miscreant thoren meet at warshp plases Her aligation is true our Acp mr Anup Kumar is bussy in catching cattle traders along with Bajrangdal insteade of catching miscreant isn't it stupidity?
As Sanaulla said we are peace loving people we are business camunity. What ms Reviti has stated is true inquiry must be done by C B I this is not a first time that miscreant thoren meet at warshp plases Her aligation is true our Acp mr Anup Kumar is bussy in catching cattle traders along with Bajrangdal insteade of catching miscreant isn't it stupidity?
What a pity. Long ago a senior Ayodhya seer had called BJP as biggest enemy of Hindus. It's 100 percent true.
What's Congress doing? Supporting cheddis?
VIREN now you need her to provide mental treatment ? first you go through it ....
YOU FOLLOWED HITLER IDEAS...AND SURELY you will follow his END
In Bhatkal Mislims are always sufferer
Muslims are highest paying taxes to the Government
Muslims they stands for economy of Bhatkal. Price rise is higher than
The whole district, even though Bhatkal is peace. Nawayath community in Bhatkal r peace loving people. Hindu girls r working In their house. Muslims employ Hindu girls in their shops. Means we have no difference of opinion at all.
Some miscreants including who Mrs. Revati named in her allegation
Mr. Sunil Nayak just he joined BJP some months ago was a member of a Muslim Sports Centre called Royal Sports Centre and he himself
Mixed with Muslim people during marriage ceremony, sports, Travel
And many other occassion. Now a days he make distanced himself from Muslim friends. Even I wish to tell you he was frequently having beef
In Muslims wedding occasions
Shocking allegation against sangha parivar it is very cheap to blame someone for her sin.
serious inquiry must be done on her complaint if that proved correct, each and every criminals should be given maximum punishment.
we know her behavior.. very harsh in our town,
Revati in need of mental treatment. first she got suspended by assuming she will lose her job for her fault.. she herself resigned before.
Revati slap on, this is wrong to blame someone for your mistake.
her hafta may be pending, until now eaten lancha and lived a wonderful life, now money got over started to blackmail others.
revati.. statement is totally wrong, she just wanted to turn off her case into opposite. corrupt officers like u.. we dont need anymore., go to hell.
Police officers like Ms Revati should shoot those criminals infront of everyone even if he is politician or some group head.
really shocking!!!! from today i will stop joining any group.
this must be stopped.. local people should not support the protest of some group.
whoever involved in this heinous act will die dog's death one day.
yahh exactly right thats why i m not very much bothered about the communal violence. its all pre planned. everyone should do their work and keep quiet from fighting nobody will gain anything instead they will lose.
this complaint should be taken as a general awareness, in my opinion some set of 5 to 10 people want to disturb the peace of the society and some gains, why others are responding to their crime. we all brothers and sisters should live in peace,
She is right in accusing her sanghi seniors .... I was the only person on this forum highlighting this drama of meat placing to stir up social unrest .... Bjp goons hats off to you and Pramod Muthalik for creating social disturbances
naren and viren need some treatment for their mental condition.... i can offer both a better treatment.
viren, bhatkal bjp gooons did this in past also. This time police wanted to frame 1 innocent boy also. psi has taken sunil naik bjp leader name who has given money to 1 person name uday goonda to buy cow meat to throw in dewastan.
I wonder fools like #1 still exists in Karnataka... Want to give merit to the evil doers even if they are exposed of their evil. Only devils are happy when some one is harmed... and dont be a devils agent by supporting the Evil..(throwing beef and blaming others)
More deceptions will spill out in near future in Shaa Allah.
Viren u r one of the educated illiterate person on this planet....if the same allegation she put on muslim community then she is a very good police, otherwise, she is mental.....the whole India knows who are the main culprits are except some communal people like u....
Ms Revathi is 100% correct, hats off brave police officer Revathi
Viren!! Who need treatment for them this statement is funny. This is not the first time. Whenever One particular community is involved in any illegal thongs and get caught, then he is mental. Naren antinationalist need itch guard.
The true face of saffron forces unveiled again. Pity on them. Such people dont hesitate to destroy their own family for political gains.
Lol. funny allegations. I think she needs some treatment for her mental condition.
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