Big data approaches to decomposing heterogeneity across the autism spectrum

Autism is a diagnostic label based on behavior. While the diagnostic criteria attempt to maximize clinical consensus, it also masks a wide degree of heterogeneity between and within individuals at multiple levels of analysis. Understanding this multi-level heterogeneity is of high clinical and translational importance. Here we present organizing principles to frame research examining multi-level heterogeneity in autism. Theoretical concepts such as 'spectrum' or 'autisms' reflect non-mutually exclusive explanations regarding continuous/dimensional or categorical/qualitative variation between and within individuals. However, common practices of small sample size studies and case-control models are suboptimal…

• AS
  Autism Speaks
• OB
  Ontario Brain Institute
• CF
  Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
• EF
  European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations

  Award: 777394
• SF
  Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative
• CF
  Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Foundation
• NI
  National Institute for Health and Care Research
• EC
  European Commission

  Awards: ERC-2017, 755816, 777394
• UO
  University of Toronto
• HF
  Hospital for Sick Children
• IM
  Innovative Medicines Initiative

  Award: 777394
• DO
  Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto
• MR
  Medical Research Council

  Award: 777394
• ER
  European Research Council

  Award: 755816