Webinar for Australasian Region “Autism Spectrum Disorder: Causes, Neurobiological Mechanisms and Controversies”, May 14

Instructor Credentials: Elkhonon Goldberg, Ph.D., ABPP., a clinical neuropsychologist and cognitive neuroscientist, and Diplomate of The American Board of Professional Psychology in Clinical Neuropsychology. His critically acclaimed and bestselling books have been translated into 24 languages.

Tuition: $185 USD per webinar

Format: three-hour long online webinar. The webinar will provide CPD points for those attending.

Date and time:
May 14 (Thursday) noon – 3 pm Australian Eastern Time (Sydney time)

Training appropriate for: The course is intended for professionals concerned with mental health and with brain and brain disorders.
The course content level: Intermediate.
 

Autism Spectrum Disorder: Causes, Neurobiological Mechanisms and Controversies

May 14 (Thursday) noon – 3 pm Australian Eastern Time (Sydney time)

This 3-hour webinar provides a comprehensive overview of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with a focus on its genetic underpinnings, neurobiological mechanisms, and current controversies. Participants will gain an understanding of the highly heritable nature of ASD, including the role of rare high-impact mutations and common polygenic risk factors. The session explores critical neurobiological theories such as atypical synaptic pruning, excitation-inhibition imbalance, and microglial dysfunction, and highlights the stratification of ASD into biologically distinct subtypes using recent advances in genomics and machine learning. Environmental risk factors and regulatory guidance on debated exposures such as prenatal acetaminophen use are critically examined. The webinar bridges basic science discoveries with clinical implications, including genetic testing recommendations and the potential for targeted therapeutics. Participants will be equipped to better understand and communicate the complexities surrounding ASD causes and contemporary research findings.
 
Topics to be covered:
1. Genetic Foundations of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Evidence for high heritability and the contribution of rare and common genetic variants.
2. Neurobiological Mechanisms of ASD: Core pathways involving synaptic function, transcriptional regulation, and neural circuit development.
3. Atypical Synaptic Pruning: Microglial and complement-system involvement in altered pruning processes in ASD.
4. Excitation–Inhibition (E/I) Imbalance: Systems-level theories supported by genetic and neuroimaging findings.
5. Glial Cell Dysfunction in ASD: The roles of microglia and astrocytes in brain development and ASD-related changes.
6. Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Oxidative Stress: Emerging evidence in a biologically distinct subgroup of individuals with ASD.
7. Large-Scale Network Connectivity: Altered functioning of networks such as the Default Mode Network (DMN) and Salience Network (SN).
8. Environmental and Perinatal Risk Factors: Factors such as advanced parental age and maternal immune activation within the diathesis–stress framework.
9. Controversies in ASD Causation: Critical examination of myths, including vaccine claims and the debated link to prenatal acetaminophen exposure.
10. Conditions That Mimic ASD Features: Overview of other neurodevelopmental or neurological conditions that may present with autistic-like traits.
 
Learning objectives for training:
1. Describe the primary genetic factors contributing to ASD, including the roles of rare and common variants.
2. Explain at least two major neurobiological models of ASD, such as the excitation/inhibition imbalance hypothesis and the atypical synaptic pruning theory.
3. Analyze the evidence for and against the role of key environmental risk factors, including the controversy surrounding prenatal acetaminophen use.
4. Identify the core functions of the Default Mode and Salience networks and how their atypical connectivity relates to the clinical presentation of ASD.
 
 

Conflicts of Interest:
There is no known commercial interest or conflict of interest for this program.

Cancellation Policy:
If for any reason you need to cancel, please contact the trainer so we can work together to determine a resolution.
Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg, Ph.D., ABPP: info@lninstitute.org 800-906-5866

Grievance Policy:
We seek to ensure equitable treatment of every person and to make every attempt to resolve grievances in a fair manner. Please email us with your written grievance. Grievances would receive, to the best of our ability, corrective action in order to prevent further problems.