The Brainstem-Informed Autism Framework: Early Life Neurobehavioral Markers

Or Burstein, Ronny Geva

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have long-term implications on functioning at multiple levels. In this perspective, we offer a brainstem-informed autism framework (BIAF) that traces the protracted neurobehavioral manifestations of ASD to early life brainstem dysfunctions. Early life brainstem-mediated markers involving functions of autonomic/arousal regulation, sleep-wake homeostasis, and sensorimotor integration are delineated. Their possible contributions to the early identification of susceptible infants are discussed. We suggest that the BIAF expands our multidimensional understanding of ASD by focusing on the early involvement of brainstem systems. Importantly, we propose an integrated BIAF screener that brings about the prospect of a sensitive and reliable early life diagnostic scheme for weighing the risk for ASD. The BIAF screener could provide clinicians substantial gains in the future and may carve customized interventions long before the current DSM ASD phenotype is manifested using dyadic co-regulation of brainstem-informed autism markers.

Original languageEnglish
Article number759614
JournalFrontiers in Integrative Neuroscience
Volume15
DOIs
StatePublished - 10 Nov 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2021 Burstein and Geva.

Funding

This article was funded by the Neurodevelopmental Psychology Cathedra (NPC). The NPC had no involvement in the writing of the manuscript and in its implications.

FundersFunder number
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation

    Keywords

    • arousal
    • auditory brainstem evoked response (ABR)
    • autism spectrum disorders (ASD)
    • brainstem
    • neonates
    • respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA)
    • sensory processing
    • sleep

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'The Brainstem-Informed Autism Framework: Early Life Neurobehavioral Markers'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this