Autism, a brain developmental disorder: some new pathopysiologic and genetics findings.

Autism is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder that is typically diagnosed by 3 years of age. Core symptoms of autism include profound deficits in social interaction and communication, restricted interests, stereotyped responses, and other repetitive patterns of behavior. Other abnormalities include mental retardation and comorbid epilepsy. These symptoms underscore the consequences of genetic inheritance for brain function and behavior. The etiology of autism may involve an interaction between genetic susceptibility (mediated by multiple genes) and environmental factors influencing brain development.