The Developmental Neurobiology of Autism: The First Steps and the Road Ahead

Studies that identify early neurobiological defects in autism will open new avenues for iPS cell, animal model, postmortem and genetic research on autism. Knowledge gained from such developmental research will be essential to developing early biomarkers of risk for autism.  Such knowledge will also be essential to developing behavioral and biotherapeutic treatments that ameliorate consequences of brain maldevelopment and enable optimal clinical outcome for each affected individual.