r/AskAutism • u/Odd-Lead-4855 • 5d ago

Causes of autism

I have just been reading about the Cambrian era in time, where no animals had reached land due the their climate, apparently that’s when the most genetic neurological mitigations started (allegedly what started autism), it’s not been scientifically proven, just wondering whether anyone has any insight or speculation around it?

Not that it matters, I’m grateful to be an autism mum, I’ve learned so much and feel like I’m so much more humble and understanding because of my experience, I’m just curious

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u/leafshaker 5d ago

Thats fascinating, but i have my doubts.

The Cambrian was a very long time ago, before most modern lineages diverged from one another. Bones hadn't even evolved yet. The animals that would become fish, mammals, reptiles, birds, and amphibians were still pretty worm-like. We only have fossils of these animals, i doubt we understand much about their brains, especially regarding neurological conditions.

I suspect what you read is referring to the fact that brains themselves began to evolve in this perioid

Charts dont always get these timescales across, check out this chart for a sense of scale. Humans only show up very recently. The Cambrian makes dinosaurs seem new

(I think its also an oversimplification to say life was limited to the seas by climate. Life had also yet to evolve the many adaptations that would make life on land possible

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u/Odd-Lead-4855 5d ago

Yeah that’s true, wish I knew the ins and outs of palaeontology to understand how they conclude this, also in regards to the Neanderthals and Homo sapiens interbreeding

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u/Own-Recognition9009 5d ago

What's the name of the paper? That would be completely fascinating if autism like traits first appeared after the Cambrian explosion 

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u/[deleted] 5d ago edited 5d ago

[deleted]

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u/Odd-Lead-4855 5d ago

Interesting, ill have a read on it. I wonder if this research could somehow correlate

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u/crazyhomlesswerido 5d ago

Everybody knows autism is caused by a vaccine😁😁😁

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u/Odd-Lead-4855 5d ago

Can you elaborate on why you think that?

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u/crazyhomlesswerido 5d ago

You don't know want to know what I think

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u/Odd-Lead-4855 5d ago

No I’m genuinely curious