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Autism is a result of neurons failing to "trim" or being over-connected. Being "on the spectrum" refers to the degree of above average physical over-connection

Autism is a result of neurons failing to "trim" or being over-connected. Being "on the spectrum" refers to the degree of above average physical over-connection of neurons. The opposite, when neurons fail to connect or lose too many connections is called schizophrenia. People that are between the two, the vast majority of people, are not said to be either autistic or schizophrenic (you can't be both at the same time but can go from autistic to schizophrenic with a degenerative disease). Everyone is not "on the spectrum" for autism, again by definition no one that is schizophrenic is "on the spectrum" for autism at all so your comment is nonsensical.

parineum 2y ago
You've really only redefined the spectrum. It's now a single spectrum from Autism to Schizophrenia. You can't be on two spots on the spectrum at once. You've still put everyone on a spectrum and my question still stands. How far on the spectrum towards schizophrenia have to be before they are clinically schizophrenic? I don't disagree with the tendency to place things on spectrums but I find that people fail to adress that some people are so far on any spectrum that they become clinical.
magicalist 2y ago
> not said to be either autistic or schizophrenic (you can't be both at the same time I've never heard this before and a quick search can't find any evidence of it. The "over-connected" suggestion did pull up studies like this[1], but that's one effect of one set of genes sometimes associated with autism, and, of course, it was in mice. I'd definitely like to learn more, but at first impression, a spectrum with autism and schizophrenia at opposite ends seems way too simple a model for human brains. [1] https://medicine.wustl.edu/news/in-autism-too-many-brain-connections-may-be-at-root-of-condition/ https://medicine.wustl.edu/news/in-autism-too-many-brain-con...

parineum 2y ago

You've really only redefined the spectrum. It's now a single spectrum from Autism to Schizophrenia. You can't be on two spots on the spectrum at once. You've still put everyone on a spectrum and my question still stands. How far on the spectrum towards schizophrenia have to be before they are clinically schizophrenic? I don't disagree with the tendency to place things on spectrums but I find that people fail to adress that some people are so far on any spectrum that they become clinical.

magicalist 2y ago

> not said to be either autistic or schizophrenic (you can't be both at the same time I've never heard this before and a quick search can't find any evidence of it. The "over-connected" suggestion did pull up studies like this[1], but that's one effect of one set of genes sometimes associated with autism, and, of course, it was in mice. I'd definitely like to learn more, but at first impression, a spectrum with autism and schizophrenia at opposite ends seems way too simple a model for human brains. [1] https://medicine.wustl.edu/news/in-autism-too-many-brain-connections-may-be-at-root-of-condition/ https://medicine.wustl.edu/news/in-autism-too-many-brain-con...