Autism is not one condition, new study finds
Autism is not a single condition, shows a study based on genetic data from 45,000 people.
Why it matters
- Challenges the idea of autism as a unified condition.
- Suggests different genetic profiles based on diagnosis age.
By the numbers
- 45,000+ participants.
- Early diagnosis: before age 6.
- Later diagnosis: after age 10.
The big picture
- Autism likely describes multiple conditions.
- Genetic profiles differ between early and late diagnoses.
- Later-diagnosed autism shares traits with ADHD and depression.
What they're saying
- Observations align with long-standing anecdotes.
- Similar findings from a Princeton study.
Caveats
- No new diagnostic categories yet due to many influencing factors.
What’s next
- More research to identify subgroups and tailor treatments.