Genes linked with a greater risk of developing autism may also be associated with higher intelligence, new research claims after scientists found new evidence linking genetic factors associated with autism to better cognitive ability in people who do not have the condition.
Although up to 70 percent of individuals with autism have an intellectual disability, some people with the disorder have relatively well-preserved, or even higher than average, non-verbal intelligence, according to the University of Edinburgh.
“Links between autism and better cognitive function have been suspected and are widely implied by the well-known “Silicon Valley syndrome” and films such as “Rain Man” as well as in popular literature. This study suggests genes for autism may actually confer, on average, a small intellectual advantage in those who carry them, provided they are not affected by autism,” explained Professor Nick Martin, of the Queensland Institute for Medical Research.
Researchers at the Universities of Edinburgh and Queensland analyzed almost 10,000 people recruited from the general population of Scotland and found that even among people who never develop autism, carrying genetic traits associated with the disorder is, on average, linked to scoring slightly better on cognitive tests. Also, there was also evidence of a link between autism-associated genes and intelligence when they carried out the same tests on 921 adolescents who were part of the Brisbane Adolescent Twin Study.
“Our findings show that genetic variation which increases risk for autism is associated with better cognitive ability in non-autistic individuals. As we begin to understand how genetic variants associated with autism impact brain function, we may begin to further understand the nature of autistic intelligence,” said Dr Toni-Kim Clarke, of the University of Edinburgh’s Division of Psychiatry, who led the study.
Autism is a developmental disability that can cause significant language and speech difficulties. Non-verbal intelligence enables people to solve complex problems using visual and hands-on reasoning skills requiring little or no use of language.
The study is published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.