Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD), a broad continuum of brain illnesses that includes Asperger’s syndrome, share common genetic roots and essential clinical and behavioral features, although they differ in severity and age of onset. Autism, the most severe of these pervasive developmental disorders, typically begins in early childhood and impairs thinking, feeling, language, and the ability to relate to others. From one to six in 1,000 Americans suffer from ASDs, with some recent1,2 studies citing dramatic apparent increases in prevalence in certain locales. Boys with the disorders outnumber girls three or four to one. Within the first few years of life, children with ASDs fail to develop normal social interaction and communication and show restricted, repetitive, or stereotyped behaviors and interests. Families coping with ASDs are searching for answers about causes, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. The National Institute of Mental Health’s (NIMH) investment in autism-related science has quadrupled over the past 7 years—from $9.4 million in FY 1997 to $36.2 million in FY 2002. The research is supported through grants and contracts with investigators at university medical centers and in the Institute’s own laboratories in Bethesda, MD. In addition, new Institute initiatives aimed at advancing basic knowledge of brain development and genetics hold promise for understanding complex behavioral disorders like autism. NIMH's autism-related research ranges from efforts to improve awareness, diagnosis an