"Teaching the biology of neurodiversity for social change"

The scientific understanding of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is historically rooted in the diagnosis of children with divergent behavior and socialization within Western societies. Increased activism and visibility of ASD individuals has helped popularize the neurodiversity movement, which proposes that autism falls within the natural spectrum of human behavior and is not always pathological. The increased interest in neurodiversity has coincided with rapid advances in the field of psychiatric genetics, particularly in understanding the underlying genetic causes of ASD. Identified genes linked to ASD have highlighted mid-fetal cortical development as a nexus when many of these genes are co-expressed. New discoveries in the genetics of ASD present a unique opportunity in teaching developmental biology and especially brain development to engage students with the biology underlying ASD and neurodiversity in general. Informed and inclusive language, engagement with the neurodiversity community, and awareness of the complexity of the issues are good practices in teaching the biology of neurodiversity.