Neuropsychological Profile of Autism and the Broad Autism Phenotype

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Abstract
Autism is a severe life-long developmental disorder that compromises functioning across multiple domains including social behavior, language, sensory function, and ritualistic/repetitive behaviors and interests. While the etiology of autism is complex and not fully understood, strong evidence from twin and family studies suggests a large genetic contribution, with heritability estimates as high as 90%.1,2 Twin and family studies have also shown that genetic liability appears to be expressed in unaffected relatives of people with autism through features that are milder but qualitatively similar to the defining characteristics of autism.