Enigma of autism regression mechanistic pathways, clinical phenotypes, and early intervention implications

Table 1 Conceptual models of autism regression

Model	Core concept	Typical clinical presentation
Developmental plateau	Skill acquisition stagnates while developmental demands continue to increase	Apparent “stalling” at a fixed developmental level for several months
Overt (true) regression	Clear loss of previously mastered skills	Sudden disappearance of spoken words or social responsiveness
Latent vulnerability model	Early skills are supported by atypical neural pathways that later fail under increased load	Abrupt decline as social and communicative demands intensify