自闭症谱系是指一个神经发展症候群的症状群范围,患者可以有不同程度的自闭症倾向,现时自闭症、亚氏保加症候群(Asperger’s Syndrome)和广泛性发展障碍(PDD-NOS)和儿童期崩解症(Childhood Disintegrative Disorder)都被纳入自闭症谱系当中。
简单而言,自闭症的普遍症状有:
- 沟通及语言障碍-无法清楚表达自己、较难与人打开或持续话题
- 社交困难-例如被动、缺乏同理心、难以理解社交惯例、不懂明白他人的观感
- 认知及适应能力障碍-例如在理解抽象概念、自我规管、解难能力上都有困难
- 重覆及偏执的行为及狭隘的兴趣-例如背诵巴士路线、车牌
脑磁激与自闭症
虽然现时有关自闭症的病因仍然未明,但有研究指出自闭症与脑部神经发展异常及遗传因素有关。近年,全世界许多临床治疗中心开始透过脑磁激这种非入侵性的方法来理解自闭症的病因,而临床研究亦指出脑磁激在治疗自闭症亦有临床治疗潜力。
研究指出自闭症是由于神经发育异常而引起的,虽然确切原因仍然未明,但研究数据指出自闭症可能与大脑皮质兴奋性和可塑性有关,因此,经常用作调节大脑皮质功能的脑磁激技术在治疗自闭症患者可能在临床效益。
參考資料:
Markram, H., Rinaldi, T., &Markram, K. (2007). The intense world syndrome–an alternative hypothesis for autism. Frontiers in Neuroscience,1(1),77–96.
Obeman, L.M., Rotenberg, A., & Pascual-Leone, A. (2015). Use of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Autism Dev Disord, 45(2), 524-536.
Rubenstein, J.L., & Merzenich, M.M. (2003). Model of autism: increased ratio of excitation/inhibition in key neural systems. Genes, Brain, and Behavior,2(5),255–267.
*声明:把脑磁激应用于治疗以上身心适应症仍属试验性质,虽然部分临床研究取得正面成果,但此临床应用仍未取得美国的FDA认证和欧洲的CE认证。
參考資料:
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Markram, H., Rinaldi, T., &Markram, K. (2007). The intense world syndrome–an alternative hypothesis for autism. Frontiers in Neuroscience,1(1),77–96.
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Rubio, B., Boes, A., Laganiere, S., Rotenberg, A., Jeurissen, D.,& Pascual-Leone, A.(2016). Noninvasive Brain Stimulation in Pediatric ADHD: A Review. J Child Neurol, 31(6), 784-796.
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