Autism: A model of neurodevelopmental diversity informed by genomics
Definitions of autism are constantly in flux and the validity and utility of diagnostic criteria remain hotly debated. The boundaries of autism are unclear and there is considerable heterogeneity within autistic individuals. Autistic individuals experience a range of co-occurring conditions notably...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.981691/full |
| _version_ | 1828349733263900672 |
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| author | Samuel J. R. A. Chawner Michael J. Owen |
| author_facet | Samuel J. R. A. Chawner Michael J. Owen |
| author_sort | Samuel J. R. A. Chawner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Definitions of autism are constantly in flux and the validity and utility of diagnostic criteria remain hotly debated. The boundaries of autism are unclear and there is considerable heterogeneity within autistic individuals. Autistic individuals experience a range of co-occurring conditions notably including other childhood onset neurodevelopmental conditions such as intellectual disability, epilepsy and ADHD, but also other neuropsychiatric conditions. Recently, the neurodiversity movement has challenged the conception of autism as a medical syndrome defined by functional deficits. Whereas others have argued that autistic individuals with the highest support needs, including those with intellectual disability and limited functional communication, are better represented by a medical model. Genomic research indicates that, rather than being a circumscribed biological entity, autism can be understood in relation to two continua. On the one hand, it can be conceived as lying on a continuum of population variation in social and adaptive functioning traits, reflecting in large part the combination of multiple alleles of small effect. On the other, it can be viewed as lying on a broader neurodevelopmental continuum whereby rare genetic mutations and environmental risk factors impact the developing brain, resulting in a diverse spectrum of outcomes including childhood-onset neurodevelopmental conditions as well as adult-onset psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia. This model helps us understand heterogeneity within autism and to reconcile the view that autism is a part of natural variability, as advocated by the neurodiversity movement, with the presence of co-occurring disabilities and impairments of function in some autistic individuals. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T01:14:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-533492ee237040c380dd5176a212ae89 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T01:14:54Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-533492ee237040c380dd5176a212ae892022-12-22T02:20:54ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402022-09-011310.3389/fpsyt.2022.981691981691Autism: A model of neurodevelopmental diversity informed by genomicsSamuel J. R. A. ChawnerMichael J. OwenDefinitions of autism are constantly in flux and the validity and utility of diagnostic criteria remain hotly debated. The boundaries of autism are unclear and there is considerable heterogeneity within autistic individuals. Autistic individuals experience a range of co-occurring conditions notably including other childhood onset neurodevelopmental conditions such as intellectual disability, epilepsy and ADHD, but also other neuropsychiatric conditions. Recently, the neurodiversity movement has challenged the conception of autism as a medical syndrome defined by functional deficits. Whereas others have argued that autistic individuals with the highest support needs, including those with intellectual disability and limited functional communication, are better represented by a medical model. Genomic research indicates that, rather than being a circumscribed biological entity, autism can be understood in relation to two continua. On the one hand, it can be conceived as lying on a continuum of population variation in social and adaptive functioning traits, reflecting in large part the combination of multiple alleles of small effect. On the other, it can be viewed as lying on a broader neurodevelopmental continuum whereby rare genetic mutations and environmental risk factors impact the developing brain, resulting in a diverse spectrum of outcomes including childhood-onset neurodevelopmental conditions as well as adult-onset psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia. This model helps us understand heterogeneity within autism and to reconcile the view that autism is a part of natural variability, as advocated by the neurodiversity movement, with the presence of co-occurring disabilities and impairments of function in some autistic individuals.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.981691/fullautismgenomicsco-occurring disordersneurodiversityneurodevelopmental outcome |
| spellingShingle | Samuel J. R. A. Chawner Michael J. Owen Autism: A model of neurodevelopmental diversity informed by genomics Frontiers in Psychiatry autism genomics co-occurring disorders neurodiversity neurodevelopmental outcome |
| title | Autism: A model of neurodevelopmental diversity informed by genomics |
| title_full | Autism: A model of neurodevelopmental diversity informed by genomics |
| title_fullStr | Autism: A model of neurodevelopmental diversity informed by genomics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Autism: A model of neurodevelopmental diversity informed by genomics |
| title_short | Autism: A model of neurodevelopmental diversity informed by genomics |
| title_sort | autism a model of neurodevelopmental diversity informed by genomics |
| topic | autism genomics co-occurring disorders neurodiversity neurodevelopmental outcome |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.981691/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT samueljrachawner autismamodelofneurodevelopmentaldiversityinformedbygenomics AT michaeljowen autismamodelofneurodevelopmentaldiversityinformedbygenomics |