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Ricerche di Psicologia/Psychological Research Journal - Open Access

Articoli

No. 4 (2022): Is it time to change the paradigm to address neural development disorders? From research to clinical practice

Neurodevelopmental disorders and autism: A possible integration between dimensional and categorical approaches

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3280/rip2022oa15717
Submitted
aprile 4, 2023
Published
2023-04-11

Abstract

In recent years clinical and neuroscience studies have highlighted some weaknesses of the current psychopathological categories included in neurodevelopmental disorders, both from a diagnostic and therapeutic point of view. In this context, the present work analyzes the dimensional and categorical aspects of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) within the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). If on the one hand the DSM-5 introduced the dimensional concept of “spectrum”, on the other, the presence of “specifiers” makes it possible to categorize the variegated group of ASDs into more homogeneous subgroups. In fact, the specifiers, in addition to describing the phenotypic expression of the disorder and being predictive indices of the clinical evolution of the autistic person in terms of autonomy and quality of life, will be able to help in the identification of patients who share a common neural substrate, potential target of future therapeutic interventions. It is therefore hoped to be able to expand the number of specifiers, in order to better characterize patients and reduce the heterogeneity that has so far prevented the development of both diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers.

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