Effect of stress on learning and motivation-relevance to autism spectrum disorder.

Effect of stress on learning and motivation-relevance to autism spectrum disorder. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2019 Jan-Dec;33:2058738419856760 Authors: Theoharides TC, Kavalioti M Abstract Learning and motivation are critical in the development of children, and to their acquisition of knowledge and skills. A case in point is autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by impaired social interactions and communication, as well as by stereotypic movements. Maternal stress has been strongly associated with increased risk of developing ASD. Children experience multiple stressors such as separation anxiety, fear of the unknown, physical and/or emotional trauma, bullying, as well as environmental exposures. Stress is well known to affect learning and motivation. However, patients with ASD have aggrevated tresponses to stress, especially fear response. There is extensive literature connecting the amygdala to social behavior and to pathophysiologic responses to stress. The amygdala regulate the responses to stress, and anatomical changes in amygdala have been reported in ASD. In particular, corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), which is secreted under stress, is high in children with ASD and stimulates both mast cells and microglia, thus providing possible targets for therapy. Factors and/or circumstances that could interfere with the neurodevelopmental pathways involved in learning and motivation are cle...
Source: International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology - Category: Allergy & Immunology Tags: Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol Source Type: research