title: Biological and psychological rhythms: an integrative approach to rhythm disturbances in autistic disorder.
abstract: Biological rhythms are crucial phenomena that are perfect examples of the adaptation of organisms to their environment. A considerable amount of work has described different types of biological rhythms (from circadian to ultradian), individual differences in their patterns and the complexity of their regulation. In particular, the regulation and maturation of the sleep-wake cycle have been thoroughly studied. Its desynchronization, both endogenous and exogenous, is now well understood, as are its consequences for cognitive impairments and health problems. From a completely different perspective, psychoanalysts have shown a growing interest in the rhythms of psychic life. This interest extends beyond the original focus of psychoanalysis on dreams and the sleep-wake cycle, incorporating central theoretical and practical psychoanalytic issues related to the core functioning of the psychic life: the rhythmic structures of drive dynamics, intersubjective developmental processes and psychic containment functions. Psychopathological and biological approaches to the study of infantile autism reveal the importance of specific biological and psychological rhythmic disturbances in this disorder. Considering data and hypotheses from both perspectives, this paper proposes an integrative approach to the study of these rhythmic disturbances and offers an etiopathogenic hypothesis based on this integrative approach.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Psychologie de la Perception, Université Paris Descartes et CNRS UMR 8158, Paris, France. botbolmichel@orange.fr
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Botbol
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cabon
authors.forename: Solenn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kermarrec
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tordjman
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D021081:Chronobiology Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D010507:Periodicity; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Biological rhythms; Circadian rhythms; Infantile autism; Melatonin cycle; Psychic rhythms