• janNatan@lemmy.ml
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    7 days ago

    Based on a couple responses, I think it is important to remember that science depends upon testing of hypotheses, no matter how “obvious” they may seem. We are not the armchair philosophers of yesteryear.

    Now that we’re starting to establish that autism may be a whole series of conditions, (which will still need further validation and hence more studies of the exact same thing) we can start identifying them in order to better understand them.

    • Katrisia@lemmy.today
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      6 days ago

      We are not the armchair philosophers of yesteryear.

      Ironically, a big problem here is philosophical.

      The autism spectrum was formed from reuniting different disorders and proposing a board neurodevelopmental category in which symptoms may vary widely from individual to individual. That was ontology informing nosology. Now we are seeking patterns again within this spectrum and finding a different number of them depending on which criteria we focus on. This is again a matter of abstract categorization, prioritizing some concepts over others, defining entities beforehand: philosophy again.

      The latest study that was very popular found four categories considering age in which DSM-5 symptoms appear, and ‘cluster’ and severity of said symptoms. Those four categories still don’t explain the PDA profile or the giftedness comorbidity that seems to actually change the cognitive patterns of classic ASD such as the preference for concrete thinking and the black and white (polarized) thinking, probably because behavioral and cognitive patterns weren’t an important axis here.

      Horribly said, the preliminary work in nosology is philosophical. I guess in all sciences. We often make our minds about what we are searching for before starting to empirically searching for it; and then the findings channel another series of scrambling concepts, updating hypothesis, etc.

      Funnily enough, the philosophical weight only grows when the brain is part of the enigma (entire branches of philosophy dedicated to the “mind”, the brain, etc.). Armchair philosophers’ work again so that the field work is actually well designed/directed and meaningful in the ways we want it to be.

      Let’s not reduce the role philosophy has in current times, please.

      • janNatan@lemmy.ml
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        6 days ago

        I was speaking of philosophy not as it is today, but as it was - a precursor to “science” before the word even existed.

        Armchair philosophers are a historical creature - they sat in their armchairs and deduced how the world works without getting up from their chairs to test any of their assumptions.

        The armchair philosophers I am talking about have little to nothing in common with modern philosophers.

  • TubularTittyFrog@lemmy.world
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    7 days ago

    No shit sherlock.

    Autism isn’t one thing, it’s an umbrella term for tons of different degrees and various behaviors that often overlap with and co-minging with other neurological conditions. Oftentimes it’s barely differentiable.

  • Atkat@leminal.space
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    6 days ago

    I see a lot of people pointing out how autism is a spectrum disorder, so it would have a bunch of different presentations already.

    That’s true of course, but spectrum disorders typically have a set of core symptoms, and regardless of your particular presentation you need to experience all or most of them to meet the criteria for an affirmative diagnosis.

    For example, My partner and I both have ADHD; the two opposing classic “types”, (inattentive and hyperactive). There are a number of symptoms that relate to his type that don’t apply to me, and vice versa. We also have different ways we’ve grown up trying to compensate for our symptoms, so they have different effects on us.

    Undeniably though, we both experience all 7 core symptoms.

    If scientists are making this claim, they must be saying that their research on ASD suggests they found there to be no definite core symptoms.

    It would be crazy dumb otherwise to announce their findings studying a spectrum disorder, if their findings were, “it appears to be a spectrum disorder”.😂

  • Maple Engineer@lemmy.world
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    7 days ago

    Me: I got my MMR boosted at 56, I take Tylenol, and I am circumcised. Now I have autism.

    Friend: You had autism before.

    Me: Oh! Right!

  • eleitl@lemmy.zip
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    7 days ago

    Same thing with ADHD. There are at least two distinct subtypes, but likely more.

    • Katrisia@lemmy.today
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      6 days ago

      And including CDS in the next DSM would help a lot. We need to identify people with the CDS profile as the things that work for them are (slightly) different from ADHD’s.

  • chunes@lemmy.world
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    7 days ago

    There are many genes associated with autism, such as SCN2A, ANK2, and SHANK2. Any disruption to the gene expression of these genes can cause autistic traits. There are many diseases that disrupt these genes, and they can even have an effect after brain development.

  • ShaggySnacks@lemmy.myserv.one
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    7 days ago

    Sure, I could listen to scientists about the complex nature of genes and brain development or I could listen to someone else. Someone like RJK Jr, a man whose brain literally has worms in it. Whose boss, Trumpie, whose brain is turning into mush.

    Check mate scientists.

  • biggerbogboy@sh.itjust.works
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    6 days ago

    I frankly find it stupid how every type of autism has converted under ASD without really any distinction apart from support needs I believe, like someone with very mild low support needs autism gets the same benefits as a very high support needs low functioning autist.

    • TubularTittyFrog@lemmy.world
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      6 days ago

      Yeah. Massive difference between those who have mild autistic issues an those who are essential disabled from normal life by it.

      Yet the former seem to think they are the ones who are ‘truly’ suffering.

      • biggerbogboy@sh.itjust.works
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        6 days ago

        And this goes further too due to the ambiguity. Here in Australia we have the NDIS, national disability insurance scheme, which is just that, to help the disabled, but as of recent there has been a sharp increase of cases of autistic children, and most have been on the borderline of not being diagnosed, and they still receive the same assistance, which is putting a huge strain on the NDIS.

        • TubularTittyFrog@lemmy.world
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          6 days ago

          Sad, but not surprising. I agree with social and disability payments but I am not naive enough to think they are often abused and exploited. Many people are getting assistance that should not, and many who desperately need it get none.

          USA has lots of issues with our school systems with autistic children and parents who want to force them to be a part of the general school population when they should not be, and demand citys/towns give their children tons of extra resources that are already scarce, and they sue the districts which have no budgets/staff for this stuff…

  • blockheadjt@sh.itjust.works
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    7 days ago

    People imitate their parents.

    If parents make emotional, short-sighted choices, their kids will grow up thinking that’s how it’s done.

    “Autism” is just what we call qualities in our children that we want to slap a label on, so we don’t have to admit they learned it from us and we make irresponsible decisions too.

      • blockheadjt@sh.itjust.works
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        6 days ago

        “This person is challenging a dubious status quo with a take I personally find uncomfortable, I know, I’ll change the subject and insult them” believe it or not you have actually just demonstrated my point

        • Fluke@feddit.uk
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          6 days ago

          No, you’re “challenging” against over a hundred years of observations and research done by people with far more medical knowledge and understanding than both of us combined.

          In the same way as Mr. Brainworm, I might add.