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Autism spectrum disorder across the lifespan: Dynamic symptom trajectories and multidimensional support framework

Molecular Psychiatry (2026)Cite this article

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Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex and highly heterogeneous neurodevelopmental condition, typically emerging in early childhood and persisting throughout life. Its core symptoms-social communication deficits and restricted, repetitive sensory-motor patterns-exhibit dynamic trajectories across developmental stages, with distinct challenges arising at different ages. While substantial research efforts have been dedicated to pediatric ASD, the scientific focus remains comparatively limited for adult and geriatric populations, leaving their distinct needs less comprehensively addressed. This review begins with a concise overview of the epidemiology and etiology of ASD. We then examine age-dependent symptom evolution and associated challenges across the lifespan, from childhood to advanced age. Finally, we propose a stage-specific, individualized life-course support framework, outlining tailored strategies for distinct developmental phases. This framework transcends symptomatic management to empower functional resilience across the life trajectory, offering a roadmap for research and practice to serve the entire autism spectrum.

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Fig. 1: The historical evolution of ASD research.
Fig. 2
Fig. 3: The core symptoms of ASD as per the DSM-5.
Fig. 4: The developmental trajectories of ASD and Neurotypical individuals across four life stages.
Fig. 5: Illustrates multi - faceted strategies for supporting individuals with ASD.

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Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (82471206, 82401487); Taishan Scholars Program of Shandong Province (tsqn202507360); Beijing Natural Science Foundation (L2510110); Young Elite Sponsorship Program of Shandong Provincial Medical Association (grant no. 2023_LC_0133).

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Yifei Wang, Renjun Lv, Ziying Jiang.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geriatric Neurology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China

    Yifei Wang, Renjun Lv, Jingliang Zhang & Qingqing Yin

  2. Institute of Brain Science and Brain-inspired Research, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China

    Renjun Lv, Yitong Liu, Ziqian Zhao, Yue Liu, Yongbo Zheng, Lin Lu & Qingqing Yin

  3. Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China

    Ziying Jiang

  4. Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong Institute of Neuroimmunology, Jinan, Shandong, China

    Bin Liu

  5. Departments of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Daniel Clauw & Jie Sun

  6. Pain Medicine Center, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China

    Jie Sun

  7. Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China

    Lin Lu

  8. Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing, China

    Lin Lu

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Contributions

Q.Q.Y., L.L., and J.S. conceptualized the review and supervised the project. Y.F.W., R.J.L., and Z.Y.J. contributed equally to the literature review, manuscript drafting, and figure preparation. Y.T.L., J.L.Z., Z.Q.Z., Y.L., and Y.B.Z. assisted in manuscript revision. B.L. and D.C. provided critical revisions and expert insights. All authors reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Jie Sun, Lin Lu or Qingqing Yin.

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Wang, Y., Lv, R., Jiang, Z. et al. Autism spectrum disorder across the lifespan: Dynamic symptom trajectories and multidimensional support framework. Mol Psychiatry (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-026-03542-2

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