Autism: the possible causes and the “symptoms” to keep an eye on explained by the neurospecialists of the Carlo Besta Institute in Milan at the In&Aut Festival

In Italy 1 in 77 children between the ages of 7 and 9 has an autism spectrum disorder. A higher incidence is recorded in males what are they affected 4.4 times more than females. But what does autism depend on?
Identifying the causes of this pathology is precisely one of the aspects on which the research activities are focused IRCCS Carlo Besta Neurological Institute Foundation which will be the protagonist May 17th to In&Aut Festivalthe first event in Italy dedicated to the social and working inclusion of autistic people.

Currently, the early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder is an important weapon that allows us to support the child in his psychomotor development. Thanks to an important awareness-raising activity involving families, nursery school teachers and paediatricians, the age at which diagnosis occurs has been lowered. And it is precisely through the correct diagnosis that intervention activities can be started promptly and a targeted therapeutic path can be set up.

«Current knowledge regarding the causes of this condition leads us to frame autism as a multifactorial disorder in which genetic and environmental causes are integrated», explains the specialist Stefano D'Arrigo. «It is the intersection of these two aspects that leads to the clinical manifestation of the disorder. There are many factors that demonstrate the importance of genetic causes: primarily the concordance in monozygotic twins which is very high and a higher incidence in males. Another assumption in favor of a genetic cause is the increase in prevalence: indeed the growth in cases of children with autism spectrum disorder is related, at least in part, to the increase in parental age at the time of conception, which can increase the risk of genetic fragility in the unborn child. Alongside genetic causes are environmental ones, such as a premature birthor one pain at childbirthbut also microtoxicity factors; Furthermore, there are new interesting lines of research concerning the immune and inflammatory field.”

Together with the Neuropsychologist Sara Bulgheroni, doctor Stefano D'Arrigowho is a child neuropsychiatrist of the SSD Genetic Syndromes with intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorders and the Mariani Foundation Center for the Study of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, at the Besta Foundation, they will be present on May 17th starting from 3pm at the G. Testori Auditorium in Piazza Città di Lombardia in the sessions ofIn&Aut Festivaldedicated precisely to exploring the medical-scientific aspects of autism.

At the center of the insights proposed by the specialists, there will therefore be the importance of an early diagnosis which allows you to undertake the correct therapeutic path and the analysis of causative factors – genetic and environmental – that characterize autism spectrum disorders.