Scientists reverse autism-like symptoms in mice

>we report significant structural and functional deficits in the AIS within a clinically relevant ASD mouse model harboring a 15q11-13 duplication (15q dup).

This is specifically about a type of autism seemingly caused by a very rare genetic disorder.

This will happen more and more as we uncover more specific causes of things like Autism and ADHD. The disorders will continue to be broken into more specific diseases that we can actually treat.

I wonder what it would feel like? I have generalized anxiety and ADHD, and treating those is such an interesting experience. You can feel how your brain is different in the way it works. But at the same time it's subtle in other ways.

If I understand the research correctly, they have created viral code which runs the moral equivalent of

    update brain set syn_strength ×= 1.1 
    where src_region=med_prefront_ctx and dst_region=dorsal_raphae

in the brains of mice without affecting any surrounding tissue. Pretty impressive. Or actually, since the update remained dormant until activated, more like a trigger: create trigger fix_brain update brain ... when brain_juice_z > 0.8

What if I don't find it abnormal and enjoy my autism?

The only thing I dislike is that people will attack me because they misread my body language.

Apparently having a resting bitch face is an unwritten crime in society.

I would be worried that by rewriting my brain's wiring to socialize better I lose my hyperfocus or heightened perception because you can't have it all.

Either you evolve to analyse other people or the world around, not both.

Just a reminder that there is nothing new about reversing autism-like symptoms in mice.

And that autism in humans is not well-defined.

And that whether or not varying severities of autism should be perceived as a disorder or condition in need of a cure does not have a consensus among experts.