THE NEUROPSYCHOLOGY OF AUTISM

In this review, we aim to bring together major trends in autism resear ch at three levels: biology, behaviour and cognition. We propose that cognitive theories are vital in neuropsychology, which seeks to make c onnections between brain abnormality and behavioural symptoms. Researc h at each of the three levels is incomplete, but important advances ha ve been made. At the biological level, there is strong evidence for ge netic factors, although the mechanism is, as yet, unknown. At the beha vioural level, diagnosis and education are becoming more coherent and less controversial, although the possibility of autism subtypes has pr ovoked new debate. At the cognitive level, three major theories are pr oving fruitful (mentalizing impairment, executive dysfunction and weak central coherence), although the relation and overlap between these i s uncertain. Rapidly advancing technology and methodology (e.g. brain imaging, gene mapping), as tools of cognitive theory may help to make autism one of the first developmental disorders to be understood at th e neuropsychological level.