Autism gene may also confer genius

BY OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

LONDON

Oct. 5: A gene linked to autism, a brain development disorder, is closely associated with intellectual propensity and skills, British rese-archers have revealed.

Autism, and Asperger’s Syndrome, is the disability to communicate with, and relate to, others. Sufferers of this condition are often known for their creativity. However, patients suffer from anxiety, obsessive behaviour and other life-altering problems.

The incidence of the disorder is high in males — boys are four times as likely as girls to develop autism.

The study by Prof. Simon Baron-Cohen, director of the autism research centre at the University of Cambridge, found that autism was up to seven times more common among mathematicians than students in other disciplines.

It was also five times more common in the siblings of mathematicians. Prof. Baron-Cohen examined 378 Cambridge University students for the study.

In the study, seven of 378 maths students were found to be autistic, compared with only one among the 414 students in the control group.

"Our understanding of autism is undergoing a transformation," Prof. Baron-Cohen told the Sunday Times.

"It seems clear that genes play a significant role in the causes of autism and that those genes are also linked to certain intellectual skills."

The scientific bent of mind comes with the disorder. "Separate studies have shown that the fathers and grandfathers of children with autism are twice as likely to work in engineering.

Science students also have more relatives with autism than those in the humanities."

The next step is to find the genes linked with autism, according to Prof. baron-Cohen. He is collaborating with Prof. Ian Craig of King’s College to scan the DNA of hundreds of autistic people — and of mathematicians.