Abstract
Autism is a severe developmental disorder marked by significant impairments in social, behavioral, and communicative functioning. Its early onset, symptom profile, and chronicity strongly argue for a biological basis, and in fact, several of lines of research implicate core biological mechanisms. For example, autism is one of the most strongly genetic conditions, and preliminary linkage data have already identified susceptibility regions likely to contain genes involved in the condition. About a quarter of individuals with autism exhibit a seizure disorder, and a larger number of individuals have abnormal EEGs, which typically indicate bilateral abnormalities without a consistent focus. However, the absence of consistent biological markers presents across all cases and the pronounced heterogeneity of the manifestations of autism have slowed research into its pathophysiology. And yet, major progress is being accomplished following the advent of new tools of biobehavioral research. Novel neuroimaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) are beginning to map out the neural systems affected by autism. These include brain areas responsible for emotional and social functions, per
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