Autism is a neuro-developmental disorder that allows a unique window on the relationship between mind and brain. Autism is characterised by impaired social interaction and communication as well as repetitive behaviours and restricted interests. The consequences of this disorder for everyday life adaptation are extremely variable. Recent studies have indicated that the number of diagnosed cases of Autism, or autistic spectrum disorder, has increased with around 0.6% of the population affected. However, even though infantile autism was first described almost 60 years ago and autism has been the subject of intense research activities ever since, the origin of the condition is still not understood. 'Autism: mind and brain' provides a comprehensive overview of the latest research on autism and highlights new techniques that will progress future understanding. With contributions from leaders in autism research, the book describes the latest advances, discusses the way forward for future research, and presents powerful new insights into this complex disorder. --- from the publisher Contents: U Frith & E L Hill: Introduction E L Hill & U Frith: Understanding autism: insights from mind and brain K Hippler & C Klicpera: A retrospective analysis of the clinical case records of 'aitostic psychopaths' diagnosed by Hans Asperger and his team at the University Children's Hospital, vienna H Tager-Flusberg & R M Joseph: Identifying neurocognitive phenotypes in autism T Charman: Why is joint attention a pivotal skill in autism? J Swettenham, S Condie, R Campbell, E Milne & M Coleman: Does the perception of moving eyes trigger reflexive visual orienting in autism? R P Hobson & M Bishop: The pathogenesis of autism: insights from congenital blindness A Klin, W Jones, R Schultz & F Volkmar: The enactive mind, or from actions to cognition: lessons from autism S Baron-Cohen, J Richler, D Bisarya, N Gurunathan & S Wheelwright: The systemizing quotient: an investigation of adults with Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism and normal sex differences K Plaisted, L Saksida, J Alcantara & E Weisblatt: Towards an understanding of the mechanisms of weak central coherence effects: experiments in visual configural learning and auditory perception R Booth, R Charlton, C Hughes and F Happe: Disentangling weak coherence and executive dysfunction: planning drawing in autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder M Mari, D Marks, C Marraffa, M Prior & U Castiello: Autism and movement disturbance C H Salmond, M de Haan, K J Friston, D G Gadian & F Vargha-Khadem: Investigating individual differences in brain abnormalities in autism R T Schultz, D J Grelotti, A Klin, J Kleinman, C van der Gaag, R Marois & P Skudlarski: The role of the fusiform face area in social cognition: implications for the pathology of autism
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