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The Emanuel Miller Memorial Lecture 1991
Author(s) -
Gillberg Christopher L.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of child psychology and psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.652
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1469-7610
pISSN - 0021-9630
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7610.1992.tb01959.x
Subject(s) - autism , psychology , empathy , developmental disorder , developmental psychology , psychiatry , miller , ecology , biology
— Recent autism and autism‐related research from Gothenburg is surveyed. In indigenous families, typical autism seems no more common now than 10 years ago. Genetic factors play a part in causing autism and Asperger syndrome. Certain medical syndromes carry a relatively high risk of concomitant autistic symptoms. Evidence for non‐specific brain dysfunction is often found in autism and autistic‐like conditions. The search for the underlying clue to the riddle of autism may be futile. Autism might be best conceptualized as a behavioural syndrome reflecting underlying brain dysfunction which shades into other clinical syndromes. A new class of disorders of empathy is proposed.