Psychophysiological aspects of autistic disorders: overview.

The psychophysiological underpinnings of autism continue to be a focus of worldwide research. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 1987), autistic disorders were recognized as subtypes of pervasive developmental disorders (Gillberg, 1990). Autistic disorders may permanently affect many aspects of development - cognitive, social, and emotional (Goodman, 1989; Wolf & Goldberg, 1986).

Most of the research has focused on specific brain structures and dysfunctions and their relation to autism. Specific underlying…