The Nervous System

In reading about brain anatomy, it is essential to first understand that damage to any single brain circuit results in multiple other regions of the brain interacting dynamically to restore homeostasis. In addition, any compromise to the brain results in multiple effects throughout the systems of the brain.

The human brain continues to make new brain cells as well as new dendritic connections well into adulthood. In fact, evidence exists that the number of neurons in the human brain doubles between birth and the age of 6 years.

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Therefore, a child's brain undergoes a huge amount of construction created by the interplay of genes and environment, and any disturbance in this construction could have multiple effects on the systems of the brain.

The goal in early intervention is to intercept the mis-wiring of the brain and, as the brain is developing, help it grow the connections it needs.

As we look at some regions of the brain and some of the proteins and peptides produced in the brain which are known to have some effect on the development of Autism, keep in mind that it is difficult to classify behaviors as originating from one region or another because many aspects of human behavior are effected by more than one single region.