Pioneering Autism Brain Researcher & Advocate for Early Understanding

Dr. Eric Courchesne is a globally recognized neuroscientist and one of the most influential figures in autism research. As a professor of neuroscience at the University of California, San Diego, and Co-Director of the Autism Center of Excellence, he has devoted over four decades to decoding the mysteries of autism — starting with how it develops in the brain before a child is even born.

His groundbreaking discoveries around early brain overgrowth, prenatal neuron development, and the biological foundations of autism have dramatically shifted the world’s understanding of what autism is. Through extensive MRI and postmortem brain studies, Dr. Courchesne was among the first to demonstrate that autism is not just a behavioral condition — but a neurodevelopmental one with roots in early brain formation.

Over the past 40 years, his work has directly influenced earlier and more accurate diagnosis practices, shaped screening tools used around the world, and led to greater public awareness and acceptance of autism as a spectrum with neurological diversity at its core. His efforts have empowered families, educators, and clinicians to see autistic individuals through a lens of science, compassion, and potential.

In Decoding Autism: Unraveling Early Brain Development, Dr. Courchesne brings his life’s work to the forefront, offering profound insights that are helping to reimagine how we support autistic children — not by trying to change them, but by understanding and embracing who they are.