Christopher McDougle is a psychiatrist and internationally recognized expert in the neurobiology and neuropsychopharmacology of neurodevelopmental disorders that extend into adulthood, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). He has over 30 years of experience diagnosing and caring for children, adolescents and adults with ASD.

McDougle’s research interests include the etiology and pathophysiology of syndromes associated with intellectual disability. He has engaged in several multi-site clinical trials focused on treating the interfering symptoms that often accompany an ASD diagnosis, such as irritability, impulsivity, hyperactivity and inattention.

McDougle was an investigator on a National Institute of Child Health and Human Development-funded controlled trial of intranasal oxytocin in children and adolescents with ASD within the Autism Centers of Excellence (ACE) Treatment Network. Currently, he is an investigator for a multi-site trial of leucovorin to improve language in children and adolescents with ASD and language impairment. With collaborators at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, McDougle is conducting a study to characterize and model communication potential in adults with minimally verbal ASD. He has also received several grants for the study of neuroinflammation in adults with ASD.

McDougle has received numerous research and teaching awards and published over 300 journal articles about ASD and related conditions. He is an associate editor for the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.