Editors: Daria Riva, Sara Bulgheroni and Michele Zappella
London-Paris, John Libbey Eurotext Ltd, 2013, pp. 232 

This volume provides advances in current knowledge on the diagnosis, neurobiology, pharmacologic therapy, and rehabilitation methods in autism, suggesting a potential influence on professional practice and enabling an up-to-date approach to effective diagnosis and treatment. Autism is an extremely complex neurodevelopmental disorder that is expressed in a spectrum of phenotypes and is characterized by impaired reciprocal social communication and stereotyped patterns of interests and activities. Its aetiopathogenesis remains poorly understood. It has become clear that causative genes interact with environmental factors in generating the disorder, but the molecular and pathogenic mechanisms causing the expression of the resulting mutations are not at all obvious. The candidate genes implicate an involvement of numerous brain regions and a concomitant malfunctioning of neurotransmitter, immunologic, and other mechanisms. These topics are reviewed in different presentations. Additionally, since the disorder lasts over the lifetime, other chapters focus on early intervention, discussing the most incisive rehabilitation models in their original formulation and the results achieved with the same or similar protocols in Italian centres. Finally, strong attention is paid to the psychopharmacologic options for the condition of autism per se and for its associated, very frequent, comorbidities.

Contents
1) Neurobiology, diagnosis, and treatment in autism: an introduction – Daria Riva
Neurobiology
2) New diagnostic instruments and methods for autism spectrum disorders – So Hyun Kim
3) Conventional neuroimaging in autism – Alessandra Erbetta
4) Multimodal imaging of brain connectivity in autism spectrum disorders: an overview – Patrizia Chiesa and Ludovico Minati
5) Autism: the genetic point of view – Orsetta Zuffardi
6) Gene–environment interactions in autism spectrum disorder – Antonio M. Persico
7) GABA is essential for the construction of neuronal circuits early in development: dysfunction in autism spectrum disorders – Rocco Pizzarelli and Enrico Cherubini
8) The role of the immune response in autism spectrum disorders – Paul Ashwood and Milo Careaga
Psychopharmacology
9) New prospects towards more effective medication for ASDs – Roberta Zanni, Silvia Petza and Alessandro Zuddas
10) Pharmacologic treatment of autism in clinical practice – Gabriele Masi
Rehabilitation
11) The TEACCH approach to working with individuals on the autism spectrum: understanding, educating, empowering – Steven E. Kroupa
12) Experience using the TEACCH program at the Autism Center of AO San Paolo in Milan: applications and critical aspects – Monica Saccani
13) Applied Behaviour Analysis and the analysis of verbal behavior in treating autism – Judah B. Axe
14) Applied Behaviour Analysis: the Italian experience of the Scuolaba Model for children with autism spectrum disorders – Lucia D’Amato
15) DIR–Developmental, Individual Difference, Relationship-Based Model: the sensory-motor affect connection to progress – Serena Wieder
16) The DIR model in treating autism: an Italian experience – Filippo Muratori and Giulia Campatelli
17) Imitation in autism spectrum disorders: from research to treatment – Giacomo Vivanti
18) Speech and language therapy intervention from the perspective of a multi-professional approach – Luciano Destefanis and Giuseppe Maurizio Arduino
19) Early psychomotor intervention in the treatment of young children with autism spectrum disorder – Roberto Militerni, Alessandro Frolli, Giovanna Gison, Guido Militerni and Ivana Sozio
20) Social skill training in autism spectrum disorders – Massimo Molteni and Sara Forti
Complementary and alternative therapies
21) A review of methods for facilitating speech in nonverbal children with ASD – Allison Landers, Gottfried Schlaug and Catherine Y. Wan
22) Complementary and alternative medicine in treating autism: myths and reality – Laurence Robel