New Research Links Genetic Factors & Traits to Autism โคdiagnosis timing
LONDON – A large-scale genetic study published this week suggests that both inherited geneticโฃ factors and the specific traits they influence play a significant role in determiningโค when a person is diagnosed with autism.The research, led by Varun Warrier, indicates that individuals diagnosed at younger ages tend to exhibit more pronounced developmental and genetic differences compared to those diagnosed later in life, sometimes not until adolescenceโค or adulthood.
The study,โ detailed in Nature, โฃanalyzed data fromโฃ hundreds of thousands of individuals and found that while autism is โhighly heritable – estimated at around โ80% – it doesn’t manifest as two distinctโ categories. “Whatโ we โขare looking at are the averages underlying these groups,” Warrier explained, emphasizing the spectrum of autistic experiences. He also cautioned that access to healthcare remains a crucialโฃ factor, as delays in diagnosis can significantly impact when an individual receives support.
Researchers incorporated data on nearly 240 characteristics of autism, including โฃbehavioral traits, in one study this year, accordingโฃ to Natalie Sauerwald of the Flatiron Institute in New York โคCity. “It’s not exactly a two-question questionnaire,” she noted, highlighting the complexity of unraveling the genetics of autism.
The โฃfindings couldโ pave theโ way for improved diagnostic toolsโ and more personalized support โขforโฃ autistic individuals. “The more you understand about a condition and what gives rise to the risk forโ it, the better your understanding of how to diagnose itโค and how to treat it,” said Elliot Tucker-Drob, a developmental psychologist at the university โof Texas at Austin.
Autism is a complex โฃcondition impacting brain advancement, often characterized by repetitive behaviors and challenges with social โฃinteraction. Despite recent claims to theโ contrary -โฃ including those made by US โขhealth secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – researchers emphasize there is no single cause of autism. The condition’s diverse genetic factors and the traits they influence present โฃa significant challenge to researchers.
Warrier’s team initially sought to understandโข why diagnosis times vary so widely. Whileโข social factors like stigma and access to careโข contribute, the study suggests that the intensity of โautisticโ traits also plays a key role in earlier identification.
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