Autism has been widely regarded to be a group of the. most complicated neurodevelopment disorder affecting. 1 in 110 children in USA and costs the nation over. $35 billion per year, expected to increase significantly. the next decade. CDC has called autism a national. public health crisis. Autism has become a huge healthcare. burden and threat globally. Autism is characterized. by the difficulty to communicate and interact with. others, often accompanied by significant behavioral. challenges, defined as a clinical syndrome. The etiology. of autism is largely unknown, its patho-physiology. is poorly understood, and it currently has no universally. accepted therapy. Autism is regarded as century myth. affecting more and more families that needs to be. addressed urgently. Unraveling this complex disorder. requires more research dedicated to change the way. we understand and treat this very serious condition.

This issue of North American Journal of Medicine and. Science (NAJMS) provides newest research findings. and comprehensive review of autism spectrum disorder,. from advances in pathogenesis of Autism, new diagnostic. criteria research, to novel and alternative therapeutic. approaches, and current autism status in China. I. feel honored to receive so much help and support from. a group of expert clinicians and scientists which. has made possible of this issue.

The issue is started with. the paper by. Drs. Hartley-McAndrew and Weinstock provided a systemic. review of the neurobiological basis and advances of Autism;. Drs. Zhan and Kong demonstrate impairment in. synaptic function is an etiology of Autism Spectrum Disorder;. The paper by Drs. You, Wu and Shen reported their research findings of a pilot. study on comparison of diagnostic performance of DMS-IV and DMS-V. for autism spectrum disorder,. pointed out that the stricter new criteria. will have immediate impact on the clinical diagnosis and management. of autism spectrum disorder;. An interesting research review of Drs.Stone and Iguchi,. demonstrated significant similarities characterized comparisons. in schizophrenia and autism in four domains of function;. Drs.Kong, Wang and Stone provided a detailed review article on. prospects of stem cell therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorders in the regard. of its promising rational, preclinical and clinical. pictures and barriers to success;. The comprehensive review article of Dr. Zhang illustrated neural network going awry in autism, proposed neuroplasticity as therapeutic basis is highly indicated by the disease features of autism,. also offered great review of labeled and off labeled use of medications for autism;. The paper by Mrs. Chenausky, MS, CCC-SLP addressed effective treatments for auditory. sensitivities in Autism, including behavioral and desensitization therapies;. Drs. Peng-. and Kong provided a review article on behavioral treatment for children with Autism, described the ABA behavioral treatment process for. children with autism, and review several key studies on its effectiveness;. Dr.Liu’s paper summarized the reports from. about 20 clinical trials of acupuncture for autism in the last decade in China offered very interesting data in this. alternative therapeutic methodology; Lastly Dr.Wu reported current. status of Autism Spectrum Disorder in China via his. insightful and lengthy summary on the 369th. Xiangshan Science Conferences of Autism Consortium China.. We truly believe this issue would be welcomed and be helpful in our tough battle against Autism.

I would like to thank all the contributing authors. for sharing their great expertise in the area, their. trust and support; thank all the peer reviewers including. but not limited to Drs. Maria Mody, Arron Cho, Wendy. Qiu, Weidong Lu, Yiqing Song, Jianghe Niu, Cindy Levine,. Elena Volonzhania, Brian Wilford and many others,. for their valuable critiques, comments and precious. time,

I would like to have the special acknowledgement to. my editorial associate Dr.Shirley Shi for her great. contribution in critical review of each manuscript,. valuable editorial works and coordinating assistance.. I would like to also thank her daughter Ms.Irene Zhao. for her editing assistance and proof reading..
Finally, I would like to thank my family members,. my husband Xiaochun Wang for his executive editing. and technological works and constant great support. and my sons Raymond and Bryan Wang for giving me continuous. courage and strength.

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Xuejun (June) Kong, MD.
Department of Medicine.
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Harvard Medical School.