The DOI matches its Crossref record; 256 of the 258 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
The intense world syndrome-an alternative hypothesis for autism
Open accessAbstract
Autism is a devastating neurodevelopmental disorder with a polygenetic predisposition that seems to be triggered by multiple environmental factors during embryonic and/or early postnatal life. While significant advances have been made in identifying the neuronal structures and cells affected, a unifying theory that could explain the manifold autistic symptoms has still not emerged. Based on recent synaptic, cellular, molecular, microcircuit, and behavioral results obtained with the valproic acid (VPA) rat model of autism, we propose here a unifying hypothesis where the core pathology of the autistic brain is hyper-reactivity and hyper-plasticity of local neuronal circuits. Such excessive neuronal processing in circumscribed circuits is suggested to lead to hyper-perception, hyper-attention, and hyper-memory, which may lie at the heart of most autistic symptoms. In this view, the autistic spectrum are disorders of hyper-functionality, which turns debilitating, as opposed to disorders of hypo-functionality, as is often assumed. We discuss how excessive neuronal processing may render the world painfully intense when the neocortex is affected and even aversive when the amygdala is affected, leading to social and environmental withdrawal. Excessive neuronal learning is also hypothesized to rapidly lock down the individual into a small repertoire of secure behavioral routines that are obsessively repeated. We further discuss the key autistic neuropathologies and several of the main theories of autism and re-interpret them in the light of the hypothesized Intense World Syndrome.
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In the citing paper
“This neurobiologically-informed theory proposes that there is excessive functioning of neural circuits, such that the neural circuits are hyper-reactive, hyper-plastic, and generally up-regulated.”
From The impact of atypical sensory processing on social impairments in autism spectrum disorder (2018) · cites this paper as Markram et al., 2007
In the citing paper
“This creates an intense world, a fragmented world (with focus on individual components of the environment), and an aversive world.”
From The impact of atypical sensory processing on social impairments in autism spectrum disorder (2018) · cites this paper as Markram et al., 2007
In the citing paper
“Low-level sensory perception is enhanced (intense world), coupled with deficits in sensory integration (fragmented world).”
From The impact of atypical sensory processing on social impairments in autism spectrum disorder (2018) · cites this paper as Markram et al., 2007
In the citing paper
“Such perceptual up-regulation results in an avoidance of highly emotional and unpredictable cues, such as eyes, faces, and social interactions.”
From The impact of atypical sensory processing on social impairments in autism spectrum disorder (2018) · cites this paper as Markram et al., 2007
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Cites
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Metadata
- Authors
- Markram, H.
- Affiliations
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (CH)
- Corresponding author
- Markram, Henry
- ORCID
- Markram, Henry
- Venue
- Frontiers in Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Frontiers Media SA
- Published
- 2007-11-01
- Volume
- 1
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 77-96
- ISSN
- 1662-453X (ISSN-L)
- 1662-4548
- PMC
- PMC2518049
- OpenAlex
- W2128332414
- Cited by
- 394
- References
- 258
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 35 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 37 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 34 · 2014: 28 · 2013: 26 · 2012: 18
- FWCI
- 4.84
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- Frontiers in Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- European Commission
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Keywords
- autism spectrum disorder, neural circuits, neocortex, amygdala, social withdrawal, repetitive behavior, autism theory, neuropathology
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