Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

Significant advances in understanding the nature of autism have been made over the past several decades and the pace of research has considerably quickened in recent years. An increased understanding of the social basis of autism (at both the psychological and neurobiological levels) may offer an opportunity to connect basic research in these areas to a growing understanding of possible genetic mechanisms. Early false theoretical leads (e.g., psychogenic models of etiology) have given way to much more sophisticated psychological approaches. The increased research focus on at risk groups (e.g., siblings) and the very earliest psychological and neurobiological manifestation will be critically important in the attempt to more fully understand the complex unfolding of autism as it first develops early in life. Clearly the marriage of these approaches with findings from neuroimaging, neurophysiology, and, ultimately, genetics will offer the prospect of better understanding its pathogenesis and hopefully treatment.