Diagnosed autism ‘more prevalent in IT-rich areas’

A new study has potentially shed light on the way autism develops in society by revealing that the condition is more prevalent in IT-rich areas.

Cambridge University researchers have analysed the populations of the socioeconomically similar Dutch cities of Eindhoven, Haarlem and Utrecht, finding that autism is most prevalent in Eindhoven, a major technology hub.

This falls in line with theories that autism is likely to be more common among populations where there is an emphasis on systemising, a key ability in disciplines such as engineering, physics, computing and mathematics.

Study leader Professor Simon Baron-Cohen said the genes for autism may be expressed in first-degree relatives as an aptitude for systemising, which could inform the provision of autism services in areas where such skills are prioritised.

"The results also have implications for explaining how genes for autism may have persisted in the population gene pool, as some of these genes appear linked to adaptive, advantageous traits," he added.

Last month, a Columbia University study suggested that the diagnosis of autism in children could be improved using functional magnetic resonance imaging.