[corkoman]

Considering all the $$$ BLOWN on lawsuits against the vaccine companies with claims that the preservatives cause autism this is really a tragedy. This finding strongly suggests a genetic correlation that may lead to a conclusion that naughty genes are the cause. Too bad for the vaccine companies and lawyers.

[KarlInOhio]

This finding strongly suggests a genetic correlation that may lead to a conclusion that naughty genes are the cause.

Unless there was a sudden genetic change across the nation why have the number of cases gone up? Well, it might be because of looser diagnostic requirements or it could be because of some new enviromental causes. It could also be that a genetic defect makes you more vulnerable to the enviromental cause.

[allmendream]

The genes responsible for autism are not necessarily “naughty” genes. There is almost certainly an advantage to having these genes in one copy rather than two (perhaps the math skills without the brain rigidity that leads to social abnormality); thus their continued presence in human populations.

Alternatively there may be a continuum in human beings between ‘artistic’ and ‘mathematic’ or some such; and for the majority of people to be born in the middle a good healthy amount of both traits, some are going to be fantastically flaky and others will insist on watching Wopner at 6 no matter what!