Autism in boys and girls looks genetically similar, but early and late diagnoses don’t
Boys are diagnosed with autism earlier than girls, so are genetic differences between early and late diagnosis really about sex? For early-diagnosed autism, a new study suggests not. For late diagnosis, the answer remains open.
A recent study published in Behavior Genetics reveals that while autism is more commonly diagnosed in boys, who also receive their diagnosis earlier than girls, the genetic factors underlying early and late diagnoses do not appear to differ significantly. The research, conducted by a team of scientists, aimed to determine whether sex differences or diagnosis timing contribute to the distinct genetic profiles of early- and late-diagnosed autism.
The team analyzed genome-wide association study data from individuals with autism, categorizing the data into early-diagnosed, late-diagnosed, male, and female groups. The study found that biological sex and diagnosis timing have little to no influence on the genetic correlations of autism, indicating that both groups share similar genetic profiles.
The research also discovered that early- and late-diagnosed autism exhibit less genetic overlap compared to each other, suggesting that the age of diagnosis does not correspond to a different genetic pathway. These findings could help clinicians better recognize autism in girls and provide appropriate support earlier in their lives.
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