%0 Journal Article
%T Meditation as a Potential Therapy for Autism: A Review
%A Sonia Sequeira
%A Mahiuddin Ahmed
%J Autism Research and Treatment
%D 2012
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2012/835847
%X Autism is a chronic neurodevelopmental disorder of unknown cause that affects approximately 1¨C3 percent of children and four times more boys than girls. Its prevalence is global and its social impact is devastating. In autism, the brain is unable to process sensory information normally. Instead, simple stimuli from the outside world are experienced as overwhelmingly intense and strain the emotional centers of the brain. A stress response to the incoming information is initiated that destabilizes cognitive networks and short-circuits adequate behavioral output. As a result, the child is unable to respond adequately to stimulation and initiate social behavior towards family, friends, and peers. In addition, these children typically face immune-digestive disorders that heighten social fears, anxieties, and internal conflicts. While it is critical to treat the physical symptoms, it is equally vital to offer an evidence-based holistic solution that harmonizes both their emotional and physical well-being as they move from childhood into adult life. Here, we summarize evidence from clinical studies and neuroscience research that suggests that an approach built on yogic principles and meditative tools is worth pursuing. Desired outcomes include relief of clinical symptoms of the disease, greater relaxation, and facilitated expression of feelings and skills, as well as improved family and social quality of life. 1. Background Autism belongs to a group of related disorders that starts in infancy and remains throughout adult life [1]. Impaired social interaction at a young age affects early milestones of human development and a myriad of immune deficiencies will also afflict the majority of these children [2¨C8] The etiology of autism is not known. However, it is currently agreed that a combination of genetic and epigenetic factors, contribute to autism, the first trimester of pregnancy being a particularly vulnerable time to triggers of the disease. Autism is characterized by widespread disruption of the brain networks that underlie complex cognitive and emotional functions that results in an imbalanced neurological response to cues from the external world and, particularly, in the way the child responds to stress. A myriad of treatments for autism have been proposed; however, in most cases the existing data are insufficient to support their efficacy [9]. This is primarily due to the confounding complexity of genetic traits of the disease, as well as the difficulty in distinguishing the cause from downstream pathologies. And yet in the United States, the lifetime
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/aurt/2012/835847/