Historical Perspective, Etiology and Neurobiological Considerations in ASD

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course students will be able to:

• Describe the historical trajectory of ASD from before the 1940s to the 1990s
• Formulate value judgements about the view that the measles-rubella-mumps vaccine is associated with ASD
• Identify the key genetic factors associated with ASD
• Identify the key prenatal, perinatal and postnatal (environmental) and familial factors associated with ASD
• Distinguish the role of genetics in ASD and its methodology
• Identify genetic syndromes that show a positive association with ASD
• Understand the role of biomarkers in ASD

Course Content

1. History of ASD : pre-1940s, 1940s-1950s, 1960s-1980s, 1990s and measles-rubella-mumps vaccine
2. The causes in ASD : introductory facts
3. Genetic factors
4. Prenatal factors (age of parents, mental and physical health of the mother)
5. Perinatal factors (maternal drug consumption, maternal exposure to environmental factors, infections during pregnancy, complications during childbirth)
6. Postnatal factors (environmental)
7. Family factors (family medical history)
8. Genetics of ASD (genome-wide association studies, Whole-Exome sequencing)
9. Methodology of ASD genetics
10. Genetic syndromes showing a positive association with ASD
11. New biomarkers for ASD introduction to epidemiology: basic concepts, example of a typical epidemiological investigation