The Vitals | The Truth About Autism: Causes, Care, and What's Next

On this episode of The Vitals, we dive deep into one of the most compelling topics in global health today: autism. We welcome two leading experts from the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai:

Dr. Joseph D. Buxbaum – Professor of Psychiatry, Genetics & Genomic Sciences, and Neuroscience; Director of the Seaver Autism Center: https://mshs.co/4oTxZcq

Dr. Avraham (Avi) Reichenberg – Professor of Psychiatry and Preventive Medicine; Director of the Population Research & Environmental Epidemiology Program at Seaver: https://mshs.co/4nHbiXZ

In this episode, Drs. Buxbaum and Reichenberg engage in an insightful conversation covering autism’s genetic architecture, how environmental exposures before and during pregnancy may modulate ASD risk, the real-world implications for families, clinicians, researchers, and the broader community, and what the future may hold for autism care.

🔗 Learn More & Take Action
👉 Visit the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment: https://icahn.mssm.edu/research/seaver

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00:00:00 - Dispelling the Vaccine Myth:
Discussion about the misconception that vaccines cause autism and the overwhelming evidence refuting this link.

00:02:19 - Defining Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD):
A simple definition of autism based on the two criteria (deficits in social interaction/communication and repetitive/restricted behaviors) and the use of formal DSM guidelines for diagnosis.

00:03:17 - Understanding the Causes of Autism:
Discussion of the general causes, primarily focusing on how twin and family studies show autism is largely a genetic disorder.

00:07:54 - The Autism Spectrum and "Profound Autism":
Explanation of the spectrum, different levels of support needed (Levels 1, 2, and 3), and the specific definition and focus on profound autism by the Seaver Center.

00:20:40 - Diagnosis, Treatment, and Access to Care:
Discussion of the age of diagnosis, the difference between treating adolescents and adults, the use of behavioral treatments (like social skills training), and how access to care is often unequal based on socioeconomic status.

00:26:33 - The Future of Pharmacological Treatment and Comorbidities:
Explores the emerging field of drug treatments that target specific high-risk genes and the frequent comorbidity of epilepsy in severe autism.

00:35:59 - Rise in Diagnosis vs. True Incidence:
An explanation that the apparent rise in autism diagnoses is largely due to broader diagnostic criteria, increased awareness, and the benefit of diagnosis for accessing services, rather than a significant increase in incidence.