Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that influences how people communicate, interact, process information and experience the world. Our understanding of why these differences occur has advanced rapidly through genetics, neuroscience and brain-imaging research.
Genetics and Autism
Autism is strongly influenced by genetics, but there is no single “autism gene”. Large genetic studies have identified many hundreds of genetic variants associated with autism, including genes involved in how brain cells develop, communicate and form connections.
Research from the Cambridge Autism Research Centre, led by Professor Sir Simon Baron-Cohen, has contributed significantly to our understanding of the biological basis of autism and the enormous variation between autistic individuals.
What Does Brain Imaging Show?
Functional MRI (fMRI) allows researchers to examine which brain networks are active during activities such as language processing, recognising emotions or interpreting social information.
Studies have identified differences in the activity and connectivity of networks involved in language, social cognition, attention and sensory processing in autistic people. Importantly, there isn’t one identifiable “autistic brain”. Autism is highly heterogeneous, and patterns vary considerably between individuals.
This helps us move beyond thinking purely about behaviour. A child who needs longer to respond, finds a noisy classroom overwhelming or interprets language literally may be processing information differently.
The Gut–Brain Connection
Another fascinating area of research is the gut–brain axis. Researchers from the University of Florence have identified differences in the gut microbiota of autistic and non-autistic children.
The science is still emerging. Microbiome differences have not been shown to cause autism, and microbiome treatments are not currently established treatments for autism. However, understanding the relationship between the gut, immune system and brain may eventually help researchers better understand gastrointestinal and other co-occurring difficulties experienced by some autistic children.
What Does This Mean in the Classroom?
Small changes can remove significant barriers for autistic pupils:
- Use clear, concise and literal language.
- Allow additional time to process questions and instructions.
- Use visual information alongside spoken language.
- Make routines and expectations predictable.
- Prepare pupils for changes and transitions.
- Consider sensory demands such as noise, lighting and busy environments.
- Don’t assume a lack of eye contact means a child isn’t listening.
- Recognise and support different forms of communication.
- Use a child’s interests and strengths to support engagement and learning.
The emerging picture from autism research is not of a single deficit that needs correcting, but of different developmental pathways that produce remarkably diverse ways of thinking, communicating and experiencing the world. Understanding those differences can help us create classrooms in which autistic children are supported to participate, communicate and learn successfully.
Further Listening
Professor Sir Simon Baron-Cohen of the Cambridge Autism Research Centre discusses autism, genetics and contemporary autism research in his conversation with TRIGGERnometry on YouTube.
References & Further Reading
Autism Research Centre, University of Cambridge. Research into autism and related conditions.
https://www.autismresearchcentre.com
Lord, C., Charman, T., Havdahl, A., et al. (2022). The Lancet Commission on the future of care and clinical research in autism. The Lancet, 399, 271–334.
Warrier, V., et al. (2022). Genetic research into autism and associated traits. Nature Genetics.
Oldehinkel, M., et al. (2019). Altered connectivity between social brain networks in autism: A functional MRI investigation. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.
Strati, F., Albanese, D., De Felice, C., et al. (2017). New evidences on the altered gut microbiota in autism spectrum disorders. Microbiome, 5, 24. University of Florence.
TRIGGERnometry. Professor Sir Simon Baron-Cohen – Autism, the Human Brain and Neurodiversity. YouTube.