Highlights in adult autism

I will present four papers on adult autism and discuss their clinical implications: 1) Identifying as autistic without a formal diagnosis: who self-identifies as autistic and why? (Ahuvia et al. Autism in Adulthood, 2026) 2) Polygenic and developmental profiles of autism differ by age at diagnosis (Zhang et al. Nature, 646,1146–1155 (2025); 3) Burnout as experienced by autistic people: a systematic review (Ali et al. Clinical Psychology Review 122 (2025) 102669), and 4) Functioning assessment short test for autism (FAST-A): a tool to evaluate adaptive functioning in autistic adults (Martinez-Raminez et al. European Neuropsychopharmacology 112 (2026) 112887). The papers have been chosen given current trends in autism clinic and research such as: 1) Increasing number of individuals diagnosed at older (adult) age; 2) Increasing number of self-diagnosed autism, 3) strong heterogeneity of autism (clinical, etiological, biological); and 4) discussions about the autism spectrum, the diagnostic boundaries, and overly broadening of the diagnostic concept (interview Uta Frith).