Clinical Constructs and Historical Insights of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Adults

This narrative review synthesizes the evolution of autism-related clinical constructs (central coherence, theory of mind, sensory processing, executive function, camouflaging) and their relevance to recognizing ASD in adults, where presentations may be subtle and masked by adaptation or comorbidity. The literature demonstrates refinement from descriptive behavioral syndromes to mechanism-oriented models that better explain how adults with autism can present with preserved language and intelligence while experiencing pragmatic communication difficulties, sensory reactivity, and executive-attent