Causes of infantile autism: Some considerations from recent research

Abstract

Experimental, clinical, and longitudinal studies of infantile autism are reviewed and the evidence with respect to different views on the causation of the condition is considered. Several independent investigations have shown the presence of a severe, extensive defect in language comprehension, in control functions associated with language, and with the processing of symbolic or sequenced information. Circumstantial evidence suggests that this cognitive defect constitutes the primary handicap in autism, the social and behavioral abnormalities arising as secondary consequences. It remains uncertain whether the cognitive/language defect is a sufficient cause for autism or whether some interaction with particular personality attributes or family environment is necessary. The basic cause of the cognitive defect is unknown, although the high rate of fits in intellectually retarded autistic children suggests the presence of some kind of organic brain disorder. Among the intelligent autistic children, there is less evidence for structural brain pathology; it remains possible that in some cases autism may arise on the basis of some maturational disorder or genetically determined condition.