Learning and motivation are critical in the development of children, and to their acquisition of knowledge and skills. A case in point is autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by impaired social interactions and communication, as well as by stereotypic movements. Maternal stress has been strongly associated with increased risk of developing ASD. Children experience multiple stressors such as separation anxiety, fear of the unknown, physical and/or emotional trauma, bullying, as well as environmental exposures. Stress is well known to affect learning and motivation. However, patients with ASD have aggrevated tresponses to stress, especially fear response. There is extensive literature connecting the amygdala to social behavior and to pathophysiologic responses to stress. The amygdala regulate the responses to stress, and anatomical changes in amygdala have been reported in ASD. In particular, corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), which is secreted under stress, is high in children with ASD and stimulates both mast cells and microglia, thus providing possible targets for therapy. Factors and/or circumstances that could interfere with the neurodevelopmental pathways involved in learning and motivation are clearly important and should be recognized early.

中文翻译：

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压力对自闭症谱系障碍的学习和动机相关性的影响。

学习和动机对于儿童的成长以及对他们的知识和技能的获取至关重要。一个典型的例子是自闭症谱系障碍（ASD），这是一种神经发育疾病，其特征是社交互动和沟通受损以及刻板印象运动。产妇压力与患自闭症的风险增加密切相关。儿童会经历多种压力，例如分离焦虑，对未知事物的恐惧，身体和/或情感创伤，欺凌以及环境暴露。众所周知，压力会影响学习和动机。但是，患有自闭症的患者对压力的反应加剧，尤其是恐惧反应。有大量文献将杏仁核与社会行为以及对压力的病理生理反应联系起来。杏仁核调节对压力的反应，并且在ASD中已经报道了杏仁核的解剖学变化。特别是，在应激状态下分泌的促肾上腺皮质激素释放激素（CRH）在患有ASD的儿童中较高，并刺激肥大细胞和小胶质细胞，从而为治疗提供了可能的靶标。可能干扰学习和动机中涉及的神经发育途径的因素和/或情况显然很重要，应及早意识到。