Nature Mental Health, Published online: 11 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s44220-026-00613-9
Autism research is entering a new and pivotal phase, as growing recognition of its biological and clinical heterogeneity presents challenges to previous paradigms and the adequacy of a single diagnostic label. Moving forward, incorporating a neurodiversity lens and embracing individual variability in autism will be a necessary step to improve research, outcomes and lives.