Autism is no longer considered a rare disease, and the Center for Disease Control now estimates that upwards of 730,000 children in the US struggle with this isolating brain disorder. New research is leading to greater understanding of and ability to treat the disorder at an earlier age. It is hoped that further genetic and imaging studies will lead to biologically based diagnostic techniques that could help speed detection and allow early, more effective intervention. Edited by two leaders in the field, this volume offers a current survey and synthesis of the most important findings of the neuroscience behind autism of the past 20 years. With chapters authored by experts in each topic, the volume explores etiology, neuropathology, imaging, and pathways/models. Offering a broad background of ASDs with a unique focus on neurobiology, the volume offers more than the others on the market with a strictly clinical focus or a single authored perspective that fails to offer expert, comprehensive coverage. Researchers and graduate students alike with an interest in developmental disorders and autism will benefit, as will autism specialists across psychology and medicine looking to expand their expertise. Uniquely explores ASDs from a neurobiological angle, looking to uncover the molecular/cellular basis rather than to merely catalog the commonly used behavioral interventions Comprehensive coverage synthesizes widely dispersed research, serving as one-stop shopping for neurodevelopmental disorder researchers and autism specialists Edited work with chapters authored by leaders in the field around the globe - the broadest, most expert coverage available

Autism Spectrum Disorder: Perspectives from Psychoanalysis and Neuroscience, offers a guide to understanding and treating the ASD toddler from the dual perspectives of psychoanalysis and neurofunction through describing in great detail intensive treatments of four children who began therapy as toddlers. The authors hypothesize that dyadic therapy and Reflective Network Therapy can impact a child by modifying the biochemistry of the brain, resulting in alteration of emotion and cognition. Their chapter on neurobiological mechanisms of change describes these hypotheses in depth.

Neuronal and Synaptic Dysfunction in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability provides the latest information on Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), the lifelong neurodevelopmental disorders that present in early childhood and affect how individuals communicate and relate to others and their surroundings. In addition, three quarters of ASD patients also manifest severe intellectual disability. Though certain genes have been implicated, ASDs remain largely a mystery, and research looking into causes and cellular deficits are crucial for better understanding of neurodevelopmental disorders. Despite the prevalence and insidious nature of this disorder, this book remains to be an extensive resource of information and background on the state of current research in the field. The book serves as a reference for this purpose, and discusses the crucial role synaptic activity plays in proper brain function. In addition, the volume discusses the neurodevelopmental synaptopathies and serves as a resource for scientists and clinicians in all biomedical science specialties. This research has been crucial for recent studies that have provided a rationale for the development of pharmacological agents able to counteract functional synaptic anomalies and potentially ameliorate some ASD symptoms. - Introduces the genetic and non-genetic causes of autism and associated intellectual disabilities - Describes the genes implicated in autistic spectrum disorders and their function - Considers major individual genetic causes of autism, Rett syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, and other autism spectrum disorders, as well as their classification as synaptopathies - Presents a thorough discussion of the clinical aspects of multiple neurodevelopmental disorders and the experimental models that exist to study their pathophysiology in vitro and in vivo, including animal models and patient-derived stem cell culture

This handbook celebrates the abundantly productive interaction of neuropsychology and medicine. This interaction can be found in both clinical settings and research l- oratories, often between research teams and clinical practitioners. It accounts for the rapidity with which awareness and understanding of the neuropsychological com- nents of many common medical disorders have recently advanced. The introduction of neuropsychology into practice and research involving conditions without obvious neurological components follows older and eminently successful models of integrated care and treatment of the classical brain disorders. In the last 50 years, with the growing understanding of neurological disorders, neuropsychologists and medical specialists in clinics, at bedside, and in laboratories together have contributed to important clinical and scienti c advances in the und- standing of the common pathological conditions of the brain: stroke, trauma, epilepsy, certain movement disorders, tumor, toxic conditions (mostly alcohol-related), and degenerative brain diseases. It is not surprising that these seven pathological con- tions were the rst to receive attention from neuropsychologists as their behavioral symptoms can be both prominent and debilitating, often with serious social and economic consequences.

Autism spectrum disorders are developmental disorders. Individuals with autism spectrum disorders develop differently. These differences are usually present in social interaction, communication, and sensory processing, and become visible through a wide variety of behavioral responses that differ from individuals without autism spectrum disorders. Despite significant research efforts, the exact causes of autism spectrum disorders remain poorly understood; however, researchers have gained extensive insights into possible pathomechanisms, even at the molecular level of cells. Many diagnostic criteria have been developed, adapted, and improved. The eight chapters in this book highlight the current state-of-the-art in many areas of autism spectrum disorders. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the epidemiology of autism spectrum disorders and the current knowledge of the underlying pathogenic mechanisms. Chapter 2 summarizes the diagnostic criteria and procedures and highlights present and upcoming therapeutic strategies. Chapter 3 reviews the adverse events and trauma in people with autism spectrum disorders. Chapters 4 and 5 focus on atypical sensory processing, and Chapter 6 discusses the genetic overlap of autism spectrum disorders with other neuropsychiatric disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, and schizophrenia. Chapter 7 focuses on the contribution of abnormalities in mitochondria, and chapter 8 discusses gut-brain interactions and a potential role for microbiota in autism spectrum disorders. This book is aimed primarily at clinicians and scientists, but many areas will also be of interest to the layperson.

Autism is an emerging area of basic and clinical research, and has only recently been recognized as a major topic in biomedical research. Approximately 1 in 150 children are diagnosed as autistic, so it is also an intense growth area in behavioral and educational treatments. Financial resources have begun to be raised for more comprehensive research and an increasing number of scientists are becoming involved in autism research. In many respects, autism has become a model for conducting translational research on a psychiatric disorder. This text provides a comprehensive summary of all current knowledge related to the behavioral, experiential, and biomedical features of the autism spectrum disorders including major behavioral and cognitive syndromology, common co-morbid conditions, neuropathology, neuroimmunology, and other neurological correlates such as seizures, allergy and immunology, gastroenterology, infectious disease, and epidemiology. Edited by three leading researchers, this volume contains over 80 chapters and nine shorter commentaries by thought leaders in the field, making the book a virtual "who's who" of autism research. This carefully developed book is a comprehensive and authoritative reference for what we know in this area as well as a guidepost for the next several years in all areas of autism research.

Homeostatic Control of Brain Function offers a broad view of brain health and diverse perspectives for potential treatments, targeting key areas such as mitochondria, the immune system, epigenetic changes, and regulatory molecules such as ions, neuropeptides, and neuromodulators. Loss of homeostasis becomes expressed as a diverse array of neurological disorders. Each disorder has multiple comorbidities - with some crossing over several conditions - and often disease-specific treatments remain elusive. When current pharmacological therapies result in ineffective and inadequate outcomes, therapies to restore and maintain homeostatic functions can help improve brain health, no matter the diagnosis. Employing homeostatic therapies may lead to future cures or treatments that address multiple comorbidities. In an age where brain diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's are ever present, the incorporation of homeostatic techniques could successfully promote better overall brain health. Key Features include · A focus on the homeostatic controls that significantly depend on the way one lives, eats, and drinks. · Highlights from emerging research in non-pharmaceutical therapies including botanical medications, meditation, diet, and exercise. · Incorporation of homeostatic therapies into existing basic and clinical research paradigms. · Extensive scientific basic and clinical research ranging from molecules to disorders. · Emerging practical information for improving homeostasis. · Examples of homeostatic therapies in preventing and delaying dysfunction. Both editors, Detlev Boison and Susan Masino, bring their unique expertise in homeostatic research to the overall scope of this work. This book is accessible to all with an interest in brain health; scientist, clinician, student, and lay reader alike.