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Identical twins both grew up with autism, but took different paths

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Re: Identical twins both grew up with autism, but took different paths

#21

Post by burkaman »

astura wrote: post #18
hiciu wrote: post #2

> identical twins at opposite ends of the autism spectrum. I understand this is just a figure of speech, but this wording suggests that there are "two ends" of the spectrum and (as I understand it) autistic communities are trying to fight that myth.

I mean... that's literally the definition of "spectrum" From a few random dictionaries: >2. used to classify something, or suggest that it can be classified, in terms of its position on a scale between two extreme or opposite points. >a range of different positions, opinions, etc. between two extreme points ?????

That is what spectrum means, and some autistic people say the word is not applicable to the concept of autism.

Re: Identical twins both grew up with autism, but took different paths

#22

Post by twobitshifter »

sidewndr46 wrote: post #6
drooby wrote: post #4

This seems to bolster the theory that autism is modulated by the gut-brain axis. Being given antibiotics at such an early age will probably severely dysregulation gut microbiota. And GABA actually does cross the BBB but in small amounts. Perhaps at such an early age, dysregulation in GABA produced in the gut has significant effects on brain health - over stimulation, learning memory issues, etc.

Reading the article, it turns out the one twin who is "more autistic" had a hole in his heart that surgery had to correct. So I suspect the actual issue here is something simpler like a difference in brain development because of the difference in the amount of blood flow.

That’s possible but he did get crazy antibiotics as well.

FTA: “The infection was from drug-resistant staph bacteria. So John went back to the hospital and spent a month on powerful antibiotics pumped directly into a vein near his heart.”

Re: Identical twins both grew up with autism, but took different paths

#23

Post by twobitshifter »

astura wrote: post #18
hiciu wrote: post #2

> identical twins at opposite ends of the autism spectrum. I understand this is just a figure of speech, but this wording suggests that there are "two ends" of the spectrum and (as I understand it) autistic communities are trying to fight that myth.

I mean... that's literally the definition of "spectrum" From a few random dictionaries: >2. used to classify something, or suggest that it can be classified, in terms of its position on a scale between two extreme or opposite points. >a range of different positions, opinions, etc. between two extreme points ?????

Yes, that’s true from the dictionary and the article is one place where its use makes sense. However, usually people say “on the spectrum“ to mean someone is a high functioning autistic. That is something that isn’t a helpful definition.

Re: Identical twins both grew up with autism, but took different paths

#25

Post by jejeyyy77 »

eutropia wrote: post #13
sidewndr46 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Reading the article, it turns out the one twin who is "more autistic" had a hole in his heart that surgery had to correct. So I suspect the actual issue here is something simpler like a difference in brain development because of the difference in the amount of blood flow.

Isn’t it common to be given a lot of antibiotics when you get a surgery?

correlation causation

Re: Identical twins both grew up with autism, but took different paths

#26

Post by apothegm »

iamleppert wrote: post #24

They are not identical. Both born with different physical problems. How do you call that identical?

Twins can be born with the same genes (because they originated as a single embryo that split), or with different genes (they originated as two separately fertilized embryos). The former are considered identical twins even if you can tell them apart. They’re genetically identical, which scientists find useful in teasing out nature vs. nurture hypotheses. They especially like to compare them against twins with different genes — who are called fraternal twins even if you can’t tell them apart.

Re: Identical twins both grew up with autism, but took different paths

#27

Post by card_zero »

bitwize wrote: post #14
posix_compliant wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then the spectrum would refer to the magnitude of any vector in multidimensional “autism space”.

Kinda like how color spectra have multiple dimensions as well: RGB, HSV, YCbCr, etc.

Well color spaces, not spectra, technically. Brown isn't in the spectrum.

Re: Identical twins both grew up with autism, but took different paths

#29

Post by Retric »

eutropia wrote: post #13
sidewndr46 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Reading the article, it turns out the one twin who is "more autistic" had a hole in his heart that surgery had to correct. So I suspect the actual issue here is something simpler like a difference in brain development because of the difference in the amount of blood flow.

Isn’t it common to be given a lot of antibiotics when you get a surgery?

I had a fairly significant surgery at a premiere US hospital including several days of recovery in the hospital and didn’t get any antibiotics after the fact. They could have injected me with something during the actual surgery, but it didn’t show up on the bill.

I think this may be specific to Heart surgery.

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