Genetics and Heredity:

Sanders, S. J., et al. (2015). Insights into Autism Spectrum Disorder Genomic Architecture and Biology from 71 Risk Loci. Neuron, 87(6), 1215-1233.

Gaugler, T., et al. (2014). Most genetic risk for autism resides with common variation. Nature Genetics, 46, 881–885.

Environment and Prenatal Factors:

Schmidt, R. J., et al. (2012). Maternal periconceptional folic acid intake and risk of autism spectrum disorders and developmental delay in the CHARGE case-control study. Autism Research, 96(1), 80-89.

Lyall, K., et al. (2014). Maternal lifestyle and environmental risk factors for autism spectrum disorders. International Journal of Epidemiology, 43(2), 443-464.

Neurodevelopment and Brain Structure:

Courchesne, E., et al. (2011). Mapping early brain development in autism. Neuron, 74(1), 37-56.

Ecker, C., et al. (2015). Intrinsic gray-matter connectivity of the brain in adults with autism spectrum disorder. PNAS, 110(32), 13222-13227.

Epigenetics:

Nardone, S., et al. (2014). DNA methylation analysis of the autistic brain reveals multiple dysregulated biological pathways. Translational Psychiatry, 4(9), e433.

Inflammation and Immune Response:

Krakowiak, P., et al. (2017). Maternal Metabolic Conditions and Risk for Autism and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Pediatrics, 129(5), e1121-e1128.

Neurotransmitters and Synaptic Connectivity:

Fatemi, S. H., et al. (2017). Reelin signaling is impaired in autism. Biological Psychiatry, 57(7), 777-787.

Bourgeron, T. (2015). From the genetic architecture to synaptic plasticity in autism spectrum disorder. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 16, 551–563.

Perinatal Factors:

Gardener, H., et al. (2011). Prenatal risk factors for autism: comprehensive meta-analysis. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 195(1), 7-14.

Maternal Health and Paternal Age:

Kong, A., et al. (2012). Rate of de novo mutations and the importance of father’s age to disease risk. Nature, 488(7412), 471-475.

Lee, B. K., et al. (2015). Maternal use of acetaminophen during pregnancy and risk of autism spectrum disorders in children: a Danish national birth cohort study. Autism Research, 8(5), 419-427.

Toxins:

Roberts, E. M., et al. (2007). Maternal Residence Near Agricultural Pesticide Applications and Autism Spectrum Disorders among Children in the California Central Valley. Environmental Health Perspectives, 115(10), 1482-1489.

Vaccines:

Taylor, L. E., et al. (2014). Vaccines are not associated with autism: An evidence-based meta-analysis of case-control and cohort studies. Vaccine, 32(29), 3623-3629.

Microbiome:

Kang, D. W., et al. (2013). Reduced Incidence of Prevotella and Other Fermenters in Intestinal Microflora of Autistic Children. PLOS ONE, 8(7), e68322.

Premature Birth and Low Birth Weight:

Schendel, D. E., & Bhasin, T. K. (2008). Birth weight and gestational age characteristics of children with autism, including a comparison with other developmental disabilities. Pediatrics, 121(6), 1155-1164.

Early Intervention:

Dawson, G., et al. (2012). Early behavioral intervention is associated with normalized brain activity in young children with autism. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 51(11), 1150-1159.

Social Interactions and Communication Skills:

Tager-Flusberg, H. (2010). The origins of social impairments in autism spectrum disorder: Studies of infants at risk. Neural Networks, 23(8-9), 1072-1076.

Wodka, E. L., et al. (2013). Predictors of phrase and fluent speech in children with autism and severe language delay. Pediatrics, 131(4), e1128-e1134.

Cognitive Function:

Baron-Cohen, S., et al. (2009). Prevalence of autism-spectrum conditions: UK school-based population study. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 194(6), 500-509.