Autism is a complex phenomenon. Individuals with autism can process certain types of information, often where high levels of local detail are present, yet are claimed to lack ability to recognize facial expressions, or other measures of social interaction. Communication and language difficulties could be due to cognitive impairments, reflecting perhaps an over-abundance of white matter connections, or the problem may lie elsewhere, such as in the timing of perceptual processing, or even in the sequencing and control of motor systems. This lack of a firm physiological understanding of autism has given rise to a number of psychological concepts that have guided researchers and therapists, but will be difficult to integrate with emerging data from developmental neuroscience. One of the most influential ideas is that people with autism have ‘weak central coherence', a concept related in fundamental ways to our notions of attention, sensory integration, and global reasoning. Impressive technological advances in measuring spatial and temporal characteristics of gamma oscillations with high-density EEG have opened up the possibility of studying, in real-time, communication across different brain regions during the performance of cognitive or visual-spatial tasks. This technique could provide a much-needed bridge between cellular neuroscience and psychology.

The Boston Club on ‘Gamma Oscillations: Integrative Concepts in Autism Research' was aimed at asking whether it is possible to use EEG to investigate how persons with autism process sensory and other forms of information. It might be asked whether they, in fact, do process information differently, and if so, under what sorts of experimental conditions? Persons who cannot speak might not ‘gate' data obtained by hearing or reading in the same way as others, and this might give them superior ability in some areas. The question of rhythmicity in brain-body coordination is also central to an understanding of autism and more ‘holistic' ways of thinking about movement and its relationship to thought might lead to sophisticated simultaneous measurement of mind-body rhythms in response to stimuli. The Boston Club discussion addressed how to test individuals with autism other than those with Asperger's Syndrome (an interesting group to study, but often chosen because these individuals can comply with experimental protocols requiring spoken feedback). Finally, can bio-feedback or transcranial stimulation be used to locally stimulate brain regions to increase perceptual or cognitive processing?

Twin studies suggest that autism has a large genetic component; however, to date, few autism susceptibility genes have been identified. The Foundation has mounted a major initiative to identify these genes, and supports genetics projects to deepen our understanding of the underlying molecular and biological processes involved in autism. This knowledge may one day provide the framework for medical remediation. In September 2005, the Foundation hosted a Boston Club workshop on autism susceptibility genes which afforded the opportunity for its funded investigators to present their preliminary data and/or the results of their genetics research.

Individuals with autism demonstrate difficulties with verbal and nonverbal communication. The Foundation supports projects aimed at investigating communication difficulties as well as communication capacities and options for individuals with autism. The study of communication modalities, with a translational orientation, is essential to developing support systems that may enhance the quality of life for many children and adults with autism. The Boston Club on “Autism Communication Enhancement” developed out of the Foundation's strong interest in exploring communication options for people with autism and was aimed at both enhancing our understanding of this area and helping the Foundation to develop new funding programs and initiatives.

The Foundation has developed a strong interest in exploring the motor disturbances that are associated with autism. In its most extreme form, the inability to speak may be a movement disorder. The purpose of this Boston Club meeting was to enhance the Foundation's understanding of this area and help the Foundation to develop new funding programs and initiatives. At this meeting, Drs. Bizzi, Fogel, Gernsbacher, Graziano, Teitelbaum, and Zeffiro presented the results of their research progress in this area.