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.
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Dear Brothers,
These are nothing but so called salafi, Salaf means should follow the quran and sunnah according to the understand of the Sahaba, these are just following their own desires under the banner of salafi name. kindly change your organization name to somethingelse.
Brother Thanzeel what about your pant ?did you cut?it's above the ankle?first you did and scrue aothers,
U.N.Abdul Razak sir (President of SKSM Mangalore) For the sake of Allah Please cut your Pant its beyond your Ankle.
I did my duty obeying is your Wish.
Dear Abu Rimsha,
you can use Translated Quran in Kannada Meaning Version in Android Play Store Type PAVITHRA QURAN
Already there are kannada quran by other org like Shanthi prakashana, AS Puthige etc, if we are able to done coordinated work we can avoid duplication & use energy, time, money for different works.
Dear Abu Thabish IFF is working for community not like other group fighting each other .there are many group in salafi calling them kafir first stop saying other kafir. Allaha will see heart first . Salafi Built Many Mosque Near the other Mosque .there is no need built the Mosque still they Built the Mosque near other mosque in Many place .divided the Muslim .
No identity of islam except big beared.
Hope, they are muslim
YES BRO #5 AM MANGALORE,,,, PLEASE CONTACT MASJID IBRAHIM KHALEEL, NEAR STATE BANK MANGALORE.
Can anyone tell me, can i GET FREE COPIES of this BOOK?
There are many people without knowledge made enemy of ISLAM
There are many people without knowledge HATE ISLAM
There are many people without knowledge fall trap to enemies of ISLAM
What is ISLAM?
IS ISLAM encouraging Terrorism?
IS ISLAM enemy of other RELIGION?
Does MUSLIMS hate HINDUS?
An intelligent person will try to KNOW the reality and will not accept whatever is said in the MEDIA... It is easy for ENEMIES to SPREAD LIES & FOOL, when the PUBLIC accept whatever said to them... & not VERIFYING.
We MUSLIMS believe that QURAN is word of OUR CREATOR ALLAH, and his MESSAGE to all of his CREATION including NON MUSLIMS ... IT is YOUR choice to READ it, PONDER it, if not satisfied MAKE a research of it... If YOU still dont believe what is said in QURAN ... it upto U .. there is NO FORCE on YOU by the RELIGION of TRUTH, the only religion accepted by the CREATOR of all that exists.
THINK & PONDER.... Dont stay IDLE ...
Well said Mr. Abu Thabish, KSA.
Dear Karnataka Salafi Movement Concern,
Plz advise the Salafies translated Quran with Kannada meaning version in android Play store. Presently I am using Divya Quran by Shanti Prakashana.
Salaam
Masha Alaah...
Dear IFF, KCF Brothers
This is what we call Deeni Program. Helping the Society to achieve the Goal for Life after Death.
See the Beard See the Pant (Above the Ankle) This is the Actual Uniform of Islam.
Do not waste your Precious time..Learn Islaam before its too LATE.
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