2020 Summary of Advances in Autism Research

Each year, the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) releases a list of scientific advances that represent significant progress in the field. The "2020 Summary of Advances in Autism Research" provides short, plain language summaries of the top research breakthroughs selected by the IACC from a pool of research articles nominated by the members. The 20 studies selected for 2020 have provided new insight into disparities in screening, inheritance patterns of autism, and genes associated with autism and early brain development. The advances also include studies that investigated treatments and early intervention, patterns of health care enrollment and usage, and prevalence differences across demographic groups. Articles in the IACC "Summary of Advances" are grouped according to the topics represented by the seven Questions of the "2016-2017 IACC Strategic Plan for ASD." Citations for the articles selected for the "Summary of Advances," as well as a complete listing of those nominated, are included at the end of the document. [For the 2019 Summary, see ED608235.]