Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee - 2018 Summary of Advances in Autism Spectrum Disorder Research

Oct 15, 2026

Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) 2018 Summary of Advances consolidates progress in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) research and outlines committee responsibilities for federal coordination. The report describes the IACC’s advisory role to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, membership across agencies and autism stakeholders, and required annual updates to a strategic plan and research advances summary. It structures selected research articles across key questions spanning early detection, ASD biology, causes and prevention, treatments, services, and transitions into adulthood.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages49

Reading Time2 h 3 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Articles Selected for the 2018 Summary of Advances

Question 1: How can I recognize the signs of ASD, and why is early detection so important?

EEG Analytics for Early Detection of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A data-driven approach

Automatic Emotion and Attention Analysis of Young Children at Home: A ResearchKit Autism Feasibility Study

A longitudinal study of parent-reported sensory responsiveness in toddlers at-risk for autism

Question 2: What is the biology underlying ASD?

Neuron numbers increase in the human amygdala from birth to adulthood, but not in autism

Complete Disruption of Autism-Susceptibility Genes by Gene Editing Predominantly Reduces Functional Connectivity of Isogenic Human Neurons

Social deficits in Shank3-deficient mouse models of autism are rescued by histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition

Question 3: What causes ASD, and can disabling aspects of ASD be prevented or preempted?

Analysis of shared heritability in common disorders of the brain

Paternally inherited cis-regulatory structural variants are associated with autism

Shared molecular neuropathology across major psychiatric disorders parallels polygenic overlap

Question 4: Which treatments and interventions will help?

Cluster randomized trial of the classroom SCERTS intervention for elementary students with autism spectrum disorder

Meta-analysis of parent-mediated interventions for young children with autism spectrum disorder

Are Children Severely Affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder Underrepresented in Treatment Studies? An Analysis of the Literature

Question 5: What kinds of services and supports are needed to maximize quality of life for people on the autism spectrum?

Effects of State Autism Mandate Age Caps on Health Service Use and Spending Among Adolescents

Vaccination Patterns in Children After Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis and in Their Younger Siblings

Question 6: How can we meet the needs of people with ASD as they progress into and through adulthood?

Autism spectrum disorder symptoms from ages 2 to 19 years: Implications for diagnosing adolescents and young adults

Psychiatric and Medical Conditions in Transition-Aged Individuals With ASD

INTERAGENCY AUTISM COORDINATING COMMITTEE 2018 SUMMARY OF ADVANCES in Autism Spectrum Disorder Research INTERAGENCY AUTISM COORDINATING COMMITTEE 2018 SUMMARY OF ADVANCES In Autism Spectrum Disorder Research COVER DESIGN NIH Medical Arts Branch COPYRIGHT INFORMATION This report is a Work of the United States Government. A suggested citation follows. SUGGESTED CITATION Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC). 2018 IACC Summary of Advances in Autism Spectrum Disorder Research. April 2019. Retrieved from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee website: [https://iacc.hhs.gov/publications/summary-of-advances/2018/](https://iacc.hhs.gov/publications/summary-of-advances/2018/). iii ABOUT THE IACC The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) is a federal advisory committee charged with coordinating Federal activities concerning autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and providing advice to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) on issues related to autism. The Committee was established by Congress under the Children's Health Act of 2000, reconstituted under the Combating Autism Act (CAA) of 2006, and renewed most recently under the Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education, and Support (CARES) Act of 2014. Membership of the Committee includes a wide array of federal agencies involved in ASD research and services, as well as public stakeholders, including self-advocates, family members of children and adults with ASD, advocates, service providers, and researchers, who represent a variety of perspectives from within the autism community. The IACC membership is composed to ensure that the Committee is equipped to address the wide range of issues and challenges faced by individuals and families affected by autism. Under the CAA and subsequent reauthorizations, the IACC is required to (1) develop and annually update a strategic plan for ASD research,(2) develop and annually update a summary of advances in ASD research, and (3) monitor federal activities related to ASD. Through these and other activities, the IACC provides guidance to HHS and partners with other federal departments, federal agencies, research and advocacy organizations, and the broader autism community to accelerate research and enhance services with the goal of profoundly improving the lives of people with ASD and their families. *** For more information about the IACC, see [http://www.iacc.hhs.gov](http://www.iacc.hhs.gov). iv TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ........................................................................ VI ARTICLES SELECTED FOR THE 2018 SUMMARY OF ADVANCES ............................ 1 QUESTION 1: HOW CAN I RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS OF ASD, AND WHY IS EARLY DETECTION SO IMPORTANT? ............................................................3 EEG Analytics for Early Detection of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A data-driven approach........... 3 Automatic Emotion and Attention Analysis of Young Children at Home: A ResearchKit Autism Feasibility Study....................................................................... 5 A longitudinal study of parent-reported sensory responsiveness in toddlers at-risk for autism........ 6 QUESTION 2: WHAT IS THE BIOLOGY UNDERLYING ASD? .................................7 Neuron numbers increase in the human amygdala from birth to adulthood, but not in autism........7 Complete Disruption of Autism-Susceptibility Genes by Gene Editing Predominantly Reduces Functional Connectivity of Isogenic Human Neurons..................................... 8 Social deficits in Shank3-deficient mouse models of autism are rescued by histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition.................................................................. 9 QUESTION 3: WHAT CAUSES ASD, AND CAN DISABLING ASPECTS OF ASD BE PREVENTED OR PREEMPTED? .......................................................... 11

FAQs

What is the role of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) in ASD research and policy?

The IACC is a federal advisory committee that coordinates federal activities concerning autism spectrum disorder and provides advice to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on autism-related issues.

What responsibilities does the IACC have under the Children’s Health Act and subsequent reauthorizations?

Under the Combating Autism Act and later reauthorizations, the IACC must develop and annually update a strategic plan for ASD research, develop and annually update a summary of advances in ASD research, and monitor federal ASD-related activities.

How does the 2018 summary organize research advances?

The summary selects articles under six guiding questions, covering early detection, underlying biology, causes and prevention, treatments, services and supports for quality of life, and needs as individuals transition into and through adulthood.

Oct 15, 2026

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