Autism
The essence of autism appears to be a rigidity and constriction affecting thought, memory, emotion, attention, and action that is particularly obvious in the social sphere and may become most clear when autism is partially addressed pharmacologically, as described below.
Abstract
Autism remains difficult to come to terms with, even after many years of intensive investigation.1-4 It is defined by three clinical features: impairment of reciprocal social interaction, impairment in verbal and nonverbal communication, and a markedly restricted repertoire of activities and interests (this last is often more obvious by its positive symptom: narrow, repetitive, and stereotypic activities).5 In the young child there is commonly complete lack of interpersonal interaction and total lack of language. In the older child or adult some language and interpersonal contact may be gained, but the individual remains flat, remote, awkward, and stilted in all interpersonal activities including language. Even in high-functioning autistic individuals, emotions, thought, and actions remain peculiarly rigid. The essence of autism, if it can be defined, appears to be a rigidity and constriction affecting thought, memory, emotion, attention, and action that is particularly obvious in the social sphere. This may become most clear when autism is partially addressed pharmacologically, as described below. All young autistic children are developmentally retarded by virtue of their autism. Later, some improve to the point of showing normal intelligence or, in some cases, islands of high ability and achievement. (A group with normal language function, intense and obsessive foci of interest in narrow—often arcane—subjects, obtuse and imperceptive social instincts, and physical awkwardness is referred to as having Asperger’s syndrome.6 It is often likened to right-hemispheric learning disability and, as discussed below, may be considered a right-hemisphere dysfunction correlate of autism,7 which appears to be a left-hemisphere dysfunction syndrome because of the prominent language disability with preserved visual-spatial abilities.8) I hypothesize that there are two distinct forms of autism. The first is a form characterized by bilateral brain damage in early life—generally of the temporal lobes and minimally of the …