Susanne Ott examines the emergence and progression of autism as a prenatal disorder in the brainstem area, with consequences for the organization and function of the subsequently developing systems. The primary areas affected are the intrinsic social and dialogical orientation of humans, as well as the development of empathy functions and language. The theoretical framework is based on Luria's neuropsychological conception of the spatiotemporal organization of the brain and, consequently, the language processes that build upon it. The known diagnostic criteria are embedded in Vygotsky's theorem of 'Defect and Compensation,' which gives autism, as a divergent developmental trajectory of human existence, a new emphasis and appreciation.