title: The neurobiology of autism spectrum disorders.
abstract: Data is progressively and robustly accumulating regarding the biological basis of autism. Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are currently considered a group of neurodevelopmental disorders with onset very early in life and a complex, heterogeneous, multifactorial aetiology. A comprehensive search of the last five years of the Medline database was conducted in order to summarize recent evidence on the neurobiological bases of autism. The main findings on genetic influence, neuropathology, neurostructure and brain networks are summarized. In addition, findings from peripheral samples of subjects with autism and animal models, which show immune, oxidative, mitochondrial dysregulations, are reported. Then, other biomarkers from very different systems associated with autism are reported. Finally, an attempt is made to try and integrate the available evidence, which points to a oligogenetic, multifactorial aetiology that converges in an aberrant micro-organization of the cortex, with abnormal functioning of the synapses and abnormalities in very general physiological pathways (such as inflammatory, immune and redox systems).
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, IiSGM, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, CIBERSAM, Ibiza 43, 28009 Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: parellada@hggm.es.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parellada
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, IiSGM, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, CIBERSAM, Ibiza 43, 28009 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Penzol
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, IiSGM, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, CIBERSAM, Ibiza 43, 28009 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pina
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, IiSGM, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, CIBERSAM, Ibiza 43, 28009 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, IiSGM, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, CIBERSAM, Ibiza 43, 28009 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: González-Vioque
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Geha Hospital, Petach Tiqva, 49100 Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zalsman
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, IiSGM, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, CIBERSAM, Ibiza 43, 28009 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arango
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D015995:Prevalence; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D014427:Twins
keywords: Autism; Neurodevelopment; Neuroscience