Autism, Brain, and Environment

1. Introduction. 2. Autism and autism spectrum disorders: the problem of recognition and diagnosis. 3. Genetic contribution to autistic spectrum disorders: diversity and insufficiency. 4. New phase autism: rising prevalence. 5. Brain abnormalities: focus on the limbic brain. 6. Limbic dysfunction correlates with the autistic phenotype. 7. Environmental factors, heavy metals, and brain function. 8. Gut, hormones, immunity: physiological dysregulation in autism. 9. Body and mind: impact of physiological changes on brain and behaviour in ASD. 10. Biomedical Therapy: typing and correction. 11. The Environmental threat: From autism and ADHD to Alzheimer's. Index.

'Richard Lathe has written a remarkable synthesis of the biomedical evidence relevant to understanding the causes of autism spectrum conditions. As an excellent scientist, he is concerned with achieving an objectivity in his review of a very large number of studies. He draws on evidence from the diverse fields of genetics, endocrinology, immunology, toxicology, virology, and neuroscience, to name just a few. There are few individuals with his grasp of the basic science who could have pulled off such a masterly review. He balances his theory of environmental (heavy metal toxicity) factors with a recognition of genetic susceptibility factors. His book will be of great value to researchers, as well as to parents or people with an autism spectrum condition, who are interested in a serious summary of the science of autism.' - Simon Baron-Cohen Professor of Developmental Psychopathology at Cambridge University and Director of the Autism Research Centre, Cambridge