Spectrum Disorder Aberrant behavior in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Common or Uncommon?

Plenary 2 - Clinical Perspective Towards Aberrant Behaviour among Children with Autism

Spectrum Disorder
Aberrant behavior in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Common or Uncommon?
Tjhin Wiguna
Indonesia

 

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that shows social interaction difficulties, communication troubles both verbal and non-verbally, and an inclination to appoint in repetitive and stereotypic behaviors. Meanwhile, aberrant behavior is defined as a single or multiple act of unplanned or thought-less illicit behavior; several behaviors such as irritability, agitation, excessive crying, laziness, social withdrawal, stereotypic behavior, hyperactivity, non compliance and inappropriate speech are categorized as aberrant behavior in the aberrant behavior checklist. An animal (mice) model of ASD by Karayannis et al. (2014) showed a dysfunction of the mesolimbic dopamine system following a gene mutation that is deleting of the contact in associated protein-like 4 (Cntnap4 or also known as Caspr4); Cntnap4 is a trans membrane protein that belongs to the neurexin superfamily of cell adhesion molecules, which interact with presynaptic proteins involved in neurotransmitter release. This gene mutation causes excessive release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens but substantiality decreases the GABA in the cortical interneuron. Consequently, the mice in this animal model study showed a sign of aberrant behaviors that is alike with aberrant behavior in children with ASD. This study also revealed that aberrant behavior symptoms were reduced after treating with the dopamine D2 receptor antagonist. Another study showed an indication of excessive levels of the glutamic acid (excitatory neurotransmitter) among individuals with autism spectrum disorder that is caused by the disrupted metabolic pathway. The excessive levels of glutamic acid cause neurons firing excessively and triggered the autism and cognitive symptoms and also aberrant behaviors. To be concluded, aberrant behaviors are usually congregated in children with autism spectrum disorder.

Keywords: ASD, aberrant behavior, autism, dopamine, glutamic acid

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