The organic etiology of infantile autism: a critical review of the literature.

Various theories have been provided in the literature regarding the etiology of infantile autism. It seems that the biological causation dominates the thinking of mental health practitioners and researchers irrespective of discipline. Areas of research include the following: neuropathological studies of the brain, autopsies, electroencephalograms, epileptic seizures, brain lateralization, studies in asymmetry; neurochemistry; genetics; and pre-, peri- and postnatal factors. A critical analysis of these studies has indicated that the evidence of organic factors tends to be rather weak and furthermore has been found to be contradictory. It is felt that the major problem lies in the fact that a large number of investigators include in their sampling children with various mental and physical disabilities and label them autistic. In general, there seems to be little information regarding the selection and little background information is offered on these children. It is suggested that a standardized and world wide diagnostic system be constructed which will provide objective etiological results.