Laurent Mottron

Creator of the first clinical services for autistic adults in Québec, author of over 200 scientific articles in collaboration with the cream of autism researchers, he was the first to demonstrate that autistic people perceive, process, memorize and understand information in distinct ways. His model of enhanced perceptual functioning is now the dominant explanation of brain functional restructuring in autism. By highlighting the child's strengths, he has also had a profound influence on the foundations of early intervention. Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Université de Montréal and holder of the Marcelle and Rolande Gosselin Research Chair in Fundamental and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience of the Autism Spectrum, Laurent Mottron and his research group are now pursuing the ambitious project of redefining the diagnosis of autism in children, helping to make Montréal a recognized centre for inclusive, cutting-edge research.