Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review for the First Level of Care Physician

Autism Spectrum Disorder (asd) is a complex development disorder characterized mainly by deficiencies in communication and social interaction, as well as repeated and restrictive behavior patterns, interests or activities. Prevalence is higher in children. The exact causes of abnormalities or irregu...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Robles López, Luis Ricardo; Hernández Barrios, Laura Raquel; Peña Rosales, Berenice; de la Rosa Arredondo, Tania; Guadarrama Ortiz, Parménides
Format: Article
Status:Published version
Publication date:2019
Country:México
Institution:UNAM
Repository:Atención Familiar
Language:Spanish
OAI Identifier:oai:ojs.pkp.sfu.ca:article/70790
Online Access:https://www.revistas.unam.mx/index.php/atencion_familiar/article/view/70790
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:autism
autism spectrum disorder
pediatric psychiatry
developmental disorders
neurology
autismo
trastorno del espectro autista
psiquiatría pediátrica
trastornos del desarrollo
neurología
Description
Summary:Autism Spectrum Disorder (asd) is a complex development disorder characterized mainly by deficiencies in communication and social interaction, as well as repeated and restrictive behavior patterns, interests or activities. Prevalence is higher in children. The exact causes of abnormalities or irregularities in the neural connections underlying the disease are unknown, but etiologically asd is considered a multifactorial condition. Different pathophysiological mechanisms have been proposed to explain the manifestations of the disorder, including an alteration in the balance of excitatory and inhibitory signals mediated by glutamate and gamma amino-butyric acid, respectively, in circuits that control cognitive functions such as memory and learning. Treatment of asd consists of psychological, pedagogical and pharmacological support, each case must be treated individually. This review addresses relevant aspects of the pathophysiological, clinical and therapeutic characteristics of this disorder.