r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • Feb 08 '25

Neuroscience Specific neurons that secrete oxytocin in the brain are disrupted in a mouse model of autism, neuroscientists have found. Stimulating these neurons restored social behaviors in these mice. These findings could help to develop new ways to treat autism.

https://www.riken.jp/en/news_pubs/research_news/rr/20250207_1/index.html
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u/Wilkham Feb 09 '25

As someone with autism some of these comments in this thread are legit criminal.

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u/[deleted] Feb 09 '25 edited Feb 09 '25

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u/Bitedamnn Feb 09 '25

Hello, I am neruodivergent.

I wish I wasn't.

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u/Hendlton Feb 09 '25

Yup. I welcome any and all experimental treatments. I don't get how it's okay to treat every other disorder that makes life difficult, but as soon as someone tries to help autistic people, it's called "eugenics." Most of us aren't super successful engineer type autistic, we're struggling to survive.

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u/minisynapse Feb 10 '25

Am a psychologist and have been combatting this narrative for a while online. It almost always leads to emotionally loades discussions as if I am somehow in the wrong to dare to suggest that conditions like autism are not mere differences or deviations but a legitimate developmental disorder which hinders the life quality of many, including parents who try to help their kids. At worst I've seen people seriously defend claims such as "autistic people have more empathy because I can read other's minds effortlessly". As you've highlighted, it has almost lead to the situation where some feel like autism doesn't even need treatment because it's seen as almost like a superpower, with heightened sense of justice and morals, faster thinking, better pattern recognition, better social skills, and the list goes on.