title: Why autism must be taken apart.
abstract: Although accumulated evidence has demonstrated that autism is found with many varied brain dysfunctions, researchers have tried to find a single brain dysfunction that would provide neurobiological validity for autism. However, unitary models of autism brain dysfunction have not adequately addressed conflicting evidence, and efforts to find a single unifying brain dysfunction have led the field away from research to explore individual variation and micro-subgroups. Autism must be taken apart in order to find neurobiological treatment targets. Three research changes are needed. The belief that there is a single defining autism spectrum disorder brain dysfunction must be relinquished. The noise caused by the thorny brain-symptom inference problem must be reduced. Researchers must explore individual variation in brain measures within autism.
authors.affiliation: Global Graduate Programs, Child Behavior Study, The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ, 08628, USA, lynwater@tcnj.edu.
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Waterhouse
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gillberg
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans