hows that there is a link between genes and autism (Piven 557). There are biological reasons why autistic characteristics are displayed. The structure of the brain and the biochemical in the body of an autistic person are notably different from a normal human being. Autistic children have symptoms like abnormal electroencephalograms, MRI scans, PET test, seizures, abnormalities on neurological examinations show structural differences in the brain. These differences in the structure of the brain show the dysfunction of the neurotransmitters that relay messages to the brain. These defects are also similar to those in schizophrenia (Piven 558). The hypocampus which is used for the normal functioning of memory, behavior, and emotion, the cerebellum which receives vestibular, propioceptic, and visual data, and the pons which affects the ability to feel pain and our fear responses are all affected by autism and explain the reasons for some of the characteristics of autism. The vestibular system is the primary means of balance and one of three systems that help people determine where they are in space. If this information is relayed incorrectly because of a problem with the cerebellum, the brain will feel off balance and want more information. Rocking, twirling and moving are ways of stimulating the vestibular system and send more impulses to the cerebellum, but those impulses too are relayed poorly and the behavior is repeated over and over again. The cerebellum also receives information on the visual world. This too works improperly and distorts the world the person is seeing. The poor relaying of information explains the stereotypic behavior of autistic people (autism zone, treatment:nuerological reorganization). Another theory of stereotypic behavior is the bad transmitting of information could disturb the person and the behavior is done to calm the individual. Another problem is the pons. If the pons are damaged, then it may always trigge...
