Autism and ADHD – two ends of the same spectrum?

Abstract

Analysis of dynamics of biologically motivated neural networks allows for studying non-linear processes responsible for cognitive functions and thus provides adequate language to understand complex mental processes, including psychiatric syndromes and disorders. Problems with attention shifts that are at the roots of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), have been investigated using network model of Posner Visual Orienting Task (PVOT). Changing parameters that control biophysical properties of model neurons and cause network dysfunctions provides plausible explanations of many strange ASD and ADHD phenomena.