This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and one of the world's leading experts on autism Uta Frith, Professor of Cognitive Development at University College London. Topics that are examined in this extensive conversation are what autism actually is, the reasons behind the increased number of diagnoses over the last few years, autism spectrum disorders, Asperger's syndrome, mentalizing, brain imaging to research the cognitive and neurobiological bases of autism and more. This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, The Autistic Condition, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter: I. Assessing the Landscape- An autism epidemic? II. Searching for a Definition- Innate vs. conscious understanding III. A Stunning Result- Learning from dolls IV. Looking Inside- Brain-imaging technology and its impact V. Vaccines- Correlation vs. causation VI. Probing the Spectrum- Big and little pictures VII. Gender- A provocative speculation VIII. Ways Forward- Some concrete approaches

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