Ethno-evolutionary insights and missed critical periods hypothesis of Autism Spectrum Condition

This article proposes an ethno-evolutionary "missed critical periods" hypothesis of Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC), integrating developmental neuroscience with anthropological and ethological perspectives. Drawing on evidence that the first year of life is characterized by heightened brain plasticity and rapidly narrowing sensory-social attunement, the manuscript argues that core ASC symptoms reflect the downstream outcome of early hyper-focalized attentional styles interacting with historically situated caregiving ecologies, rather than a fixed, context-independent defect. Early prospective studies of high-likelihood infants show that subtle alterations in gaze, socio-communicative reciprocity and restricted, repetitive behaviors emerge within the first months, opening a window for pre-emptive, parent-mediated intervention. Converging data from pre-emptive interventions suggest that targeting infant-caregiver micro-interactions during this window can substantially modify developmental trajectories and, in some cases, reduce or mitigate disability. Placing these findings in an evolutionary frame, the article hypothesizes that genetic liabilities for ASC have long been present across human groups, but that dense, multi-caregiver, high-contact rearing practices typical of hunter-gatherer societies may have buffered against the manifestation of disabling phenotypes. The authors highlight implications for contemporary Western child-rearing norms and outline future research directions, including randomized pre-emptive trials with neurophysiological outcomes and cross-cultural studies in traditional societies.