I don't think Autism is a ''genetic'' condition
Autistic children (on all ends of the spectrum) are born to predominately non-autistic parents.
You have the 15 percent or so of kids with fragile X syndrome or some other syndrome resulting in their Autism but they represent a small number of cases. Most Autistic people have no genetic disorder to explain our symptoms, no extra or missing chromosomes and no Autism in our parental line.
I have gone back and forth on this for years - I once bought into the fact that we must have gene abnormalities of sorts as the media keeps telling us and that was just that. But as I'm going over it again and observing that fact that there isn't much evidence at all to support that it's genetic. I don't think it is.
There is no question that we are born this way but it's not the case of a gene that went haywire. I don't think after all this time, research and money spent they have a clue what causes Autism.
In my case, although I'm the only one with a diagnosis, I definitely do see some specific traits in my relatives that, while I don't think any of them actually are on the spectrum, certainly are traits more common to those on the spectrum.
1) My brother has true perfect pitch - seems likely that comes from the same place as my ASD.
2) My aunt takes absolutely FOREVER to pack a small suitcase, and when she finishes, it is the most well organised suitcase you've ever seen.
3) My mom tells me that my grandfather had some traits similar to me, although ASD wouldn't really have been known in his time.
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Level 1 Autism Spectrum Disorder / Asperger's Syndrome.
My Grandmother was never diagnosed but was autistic as all get out. Three of her four children were born autistic, only 2 formally diagnosed. The other says he sees no point in having a piece of paper, he knows and that's enough for him. I'm diagnosed autistic as is one cousin and my son is as well. So if it's not genetic in our family then maybe we are just cursed.
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I have a piece of paper that says ASD Level 2 so it must be true.
ASPartOfMe
Veteran
Joined: 25 Aug 2013
Age: 66
Gender: Male
Posts: 34,471
Location: Long Island, New York
As this work has progressed, scientists have unearthed a variety of types of genetic changes that can underlie autism. The more scientists dig into DNA, the more intricate its contribution to autism seems to be.
How do researchers know genes contribute to autism?
Since the first autism twin study in 1977, several teams have compared autism rates in twins and shown that autism is highly heritable. When one identical twin has autism, there is about an 80 percent chance that the other twin has it too. The corresponding rate for fraternal twins is around 40 percent.
However, genetics clearly does not account for all autism risk. Environmental factors also contribute to the condition — although researchers disagree on the relative contributions of genes and environment.
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Professionally Identified and joined WP August 26, 2013
DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity
It is Autism Acceptance Month
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
Folks born with sickle cell anemia almost never have parents with sickle cell anemia.
The obvious reason being that if you have sickle cell anemia you don't live long enough to get married and sire kids in the first place. But that doesn't change the fact that SSA is genetic.
Same with hemophelia. The last Czar and Czarina didn't have hemophelia. But the Czarina probably carried the recessive gene that got expressed in her son who did have the condition.
Autistics more often than not don't get spouses and don't sire kids. So the phrase "autistic parents" is almost a contradiction in terms. But that doesn't negate the possibility that it could be genetic.
I think there are some things besides genetics. I was reading a study on the effects of SSRI's during pregnancy and if they are taken during the second and/or third trimester, there was a statistically significant increase in the child being diagnosed with autism later on.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamape ... le/2476187
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I have a piece of paper that says ASD Level 2 so it must be true.
I think there are some things besides genetics. I was reading a study on the effects of SSRI's during pregnancy and if they are taken during the second and/or third trimester, there was a statistically significant increase in the child being diagnosed with autism later on.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamape ... le/2476187
Even the effects of those drugs will probably have a genetic element to it. Our DNA makes us who we are.
I think there are some things besides genetics. I was reading a study on the effects of SSRI's during pregnancy and if they are taken during the second and/or third trimester, there was a statistically significant increase in the child being diagnosed with autism later on.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamape ... le/2476187
I don't have the access to the actual journal to look at it but real-life statistics are often biased.
Like, if the mother used SSRI during her pregnancy, she is more likely to check all the possible psychiatric issues in the child. And undiagnosed level 1 autistic women are very likely to develop depression, thus, use SSRI.
I don't deny the possibility of some environmental factors in general. The topic needs solid study.
I am pretty sure there are many genes combinations contributing to ASD. Otherwise, it wouldn't be such a spectrum.
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Let's not confuse being normal with being mentally healthy.
<not moderating PPR stuff concerning East Europe>
I found out years after I suspected that I'm autistic that I have a mutation in a gene that can cause seizures and also seems to have a strong connection to autism. I am what is called mosaic meaning that some of my genes are mutated and some are not. This also means that the mutation is de novo, non inherited, started with me.
"The findings, published Monday in Nature Neuroscience, add to mounting evidence that mosaic mutations contribute to autism risk. These mutations arise after conception; the later they occur, the fewer cells they affect."
https://spectrumnews.org/news/large-stu ... ns-autism/
I have three close relatives confirmed on the spectrum and an aunt may have been, but she was never diagnosed.
I think it runs in some families but not others.
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~Zinc Alloy aka. Russell~
WP's most sparkling member.
DX classic autism 1995, AS 2003, depression 2008
~INFP~
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