Social stress: Brain circuitry fails to connect in children with autism

(Carnegie Mellon University) The holidays can be difficult for children with autism spectrum disorder, particularly because of new or different social situations. One reason scientists believe ASD causes impairment in social interactions is due to an inability to effectively infer other's thoughts and feelings through 'theory of mind,' or ToM -- the ability to understand the mental states of others and oneself. An innovative brain imaging study has uncovered new evidence explaining why ToM defic...