Understanding and Treating Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Ethology, Evolution, and Early Development

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalence is increasing internationally, with an estimate of 1:31 in the USA. While such an increase can be partially explained by awareness and expanded diagnostic criteria, the interaction between genetics and the modern environment is likely contributing as well. Evidence suggests that, in children later diagnosed with ASD, brain and behavioral atypicalities emerge during the first year of life—and likely prenatally—a time when brain plasticity is at its maximum.

Research suggests that during the first months of life, early ASD prodromes are identifiable in the areas of attention, social interaction, communication, and motor development. Pre-emptive intervention for infants with ASD prodromes during the first phases of life has been shown to improve outcomes compared to later starts. Despite these accounts, intervention usually starts significantly later in development, once a diagnosis is established, thus missing the window of enhanced brain plasticity. More research is needed to shed light on very early prenatal and postnatal prodromes and risk factors, and on how to best intervene in order to promote optimal development.

The goal of this Research Topic is to advance the identification and characterization of prenatal and early postnatal prodromes and risk factors for ASD, and to evaluate pre-emptive, developmentally timed interventions that can improve mental health, adaptive functioning, and long-term wellbeing.

Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:
- prenatal and postnatal prodromes and developmental trajectories;
- neurobiology of first signs of autism; risk factors; early and pre-emptive intervention;
- prenatal and postnatal developmental trajectories;
- comparisons between autism and other developmental disorders;
- gender differences; animal models; ethological approaches;
- epigenetic mechanisms.

This aims to propose interdisciplinary discussion, including contributions from ethology, primatology, psychology, neurology, psychiatry, and gynecology.

All article types of the journal are welcome, including original research and reviews. We welcome the following article types in this topic: Original Research, Systematic Review, Brief Research Report, Methods, Review, Mini Review, Concept Paper, Innovative Case Report.

This Research Topic complements the workshop “Understanding and Treating Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Ethology, Evolution, and Early Development” (Erice, Italy; November 13–17, 2025), which convenes interdisciplinary experts on early development, identification, and pre-emptive intervention. Clarifying the earliest prodromes and mechanisms is crucial to inform the timing, targets, and personalization of care.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Early identification, intervention, prenatal risk factors, epigenetics, autism evolution

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.