Autism-specific genes, do they exist or not?
There is insufficient evidence for autism-specific genes. This is the conclusion of an international team of 13 scientists who have recently published a peer-reviewed scientific paper on this topic.
Writing in The American Journal of Human Genetics, the scientists explain that there has been considerable interest in identifying genes that, when mutated, make children more at risk for autism spectrum disorder but that “there is currently insufficient evidence to establish meaningful Autism Spectrum Disorder specificity of any genes based on large-effect rare-variant data.”
Just because there is “insufficient evidence,” does not mean that a genetic underlining for autism spectrum disorder does not exist. But what it does mean is that, so far, scientists have not been able to identify autism-specific genes.
I’ve been researching and writing about health for over 15 years. During that time I’ve interviewed at least a hundred parents, like this one and this one, whose lives have been upended by autism. “He wasn’t born with it,” and “My son was developing normally” are two of the most common observations these parents make. The vast majority of the families I have interviewed have no relatives with autism. And their children’s autism is not a benign form of neurodiversity that we should all be celebrating. These families will be the first to confirm what this team of researchers is arguing: Their children’s autism does not have genetic underpinnings.
The sharp rise in autism spectrum disorder
According to the Autism Society, in 1965 the rate of autism was approximately 1 in 10,000.
But by 2000 1 in 150 American children had autism (source).
And now, in 2020 at least 1 in 54 children has autism. And some researchers believe that number is a gross underestimate. For instance, the Immunity Education Group estimates that 1 in 36 children has autism.
In order to stop the sharp rise in autism and other forms of brain damage, we need to know what is causing it. And in order to figure out what’s causing autism, we need to be asking the right questions.
The low life expectancy of people with autism
According to a 2017 study published in the American Journal of Public Health, the life expectancy of people with autism in America is only 36 years old. People with autism are 40 times more likely to die from injury than people who don’t have autism (Read the study here).
An earlier study, published by Swedish researchers in 2016, similarly found that people with autism tragically suffer from early (or what the researchers call “premature” death.
If autism-specific genes aren’t causing autism, what is?
So if we are unable to identify autism-specific genes, then what is causing autism?
That’s the million dollar question, isn’t it?
It’s urgent that scientists begin doing well designed placebo-controlled research. We must figure out what toxic exposures in the environment are causing autism. Poisons in the environment are responsible for brain and immune damage in our children. It’s time to figure this out. And stop it.
Possible culprits that must be researched further include:
- Ultrasound exposure during prenatal development
- Injected aluminum, which babies are exposed to from the vitamin K shot and from aluminum-containing childhood vaccinations
- Acetaminophen, which is the main ingredient in children’s Tylenol. According to this outstanding scientific review by a team of researchers from Duke and Harvard universities, acetaminophen seems to be a contributing factor in the autism epidemic
- Glyphosate, a ubiquitous and carcinogenic herbicide
This research conducted by two scientists at MIT and a Texas-based medical doctor supports the hypothesis that both aluminum and acetaminophen are contributing to the autism epidemic.
So what is causing autism if not autism-specific genes.
America is home to some of the most respected and best educated researchers and medical doctors in the world. We are collectively smart enough to identify the manmade environmental factors destroying our children’s brains.
Related posts:
Have You Ever Invited a Child With Autism to a Party?
How This Mom Scored a Victory Over Autism
The Possible Dangers of Obstetric Ultrasound
Published: May 5, 2020
Last update: May 15, 2021
Liz says
You left glysophate / pesticides off your list of possible causes.
Linda says
Just thinking the same thing. Dr Stephanie Seneff and her theory and the correlation with the widespread use of glyphosates on crops.
Lynne Fish says
In my generation I knew no child with autism. In my childrens’ generation I knew 2 (blood relatives) who were diagnosed with ADHD and one or two children who were very different but I was not aware of autism at the time. Our eldest grandson was a delightful normal child until he was 2 or 3 years old and by the time he was 6 he was experienceing dreadful symptoms and causing havoc at home and at school. During his early years I was working in addiction and frequently came across addicts on the autistic spectrum and also met mothers with autistic children and my eyes were opened. Our other grandchildren are also on the spectrum but with more knowledge the family have been better able to support them to lead fairly ‘normal’ lives; the eldest both work and support themselves though this is not easy for them as their social skills are perhap unrefined. I worked in healthcare for over 40 years and would like to see data on the number and timing of vaccinations in children (including in vitro) and the onset of autistic traits along with exposure glyphosphate and other poisons in our food, drink and air.
Steph says
Autism rates have risen bcuz diagnoses have risen bcuz doctors are better educated on it now. Autism was ALWAYS here. As a doctor I find it impossible for you to not know this. So my question is what your angle is? What’s your agenda? Who’s paying you? Doctors like you should have your licenses taken away.
Signed – mother of two autistic children
Jennifer Margulis, Ph.D. says
Thanks for weighing in and sharing your thoughts. While that sounds like a plausible explanation, it turns out not to be true. A Stanford-educated Ph.D. researcher looked at this closely. What Dr. Nevison uncovered was that diagnosed autism prevalence has risen dramatically in the U.S over the last several decades and continued to trend upward as of birth year 2005. The increase in autism is mainly real, with only about 20-25 percent attributable to increased autism awareness/diagnoses, and has occurred mostly since the late 1980s. In contrast to the upward trend in autism, children’s exposure to most of the top 10 toxic compounds has remained flat or decreased over this same time frame.
The environmental factors with time trends that correlate positively to autism include 2 vaccine-related indices: cumulative aluminum adjuvant exposure and cumulative total number of disease-doses by 18 months; polybrominated diphenyl ethers (used as flame retardants); the herbicide glyphosate (used on GM crops); and maternal obesity. You can read the peer-reviewed science here: https://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1476-069X-13-73. Finally, I am not a medical doctor. My Ph.D. is in English with an emphasis on American Studies. I am a researcher, journalist, and book author. No one is paying me to write about autism. As your comment and your call for me to “lose my license” shows, writing about autism is difficult and controversial, which is one of the many reasons most journalists stay as far away from the subject as possible. I also don’t have a child with autism. But I am deeply concerned about the brain and immune damage we are doing to our children. In order for humans to survive and thrive, I believe we need to make small but crucial changes to both the current CDC vaccination schedule and to the way children are over-exposed to other toxins. It sounds like you disagree.
GM says
Autism is not genetic- unable to excrete mercury and other heavy metals from vaccines, food and the environment is what’s genetic. Study MTHFR gene AND mercury poisoning and you’ll see symptoms are the same as autism. Thimerisol is mercury. Chelation works- I’ve seen it first hand. Our medical industry and pharma is horrible and dishonest
Jennifer says
Hi,
…small but crucial changes to boththe CDC vaccine schedule…
I respect your view but after the reading I’ve done I can’t help but question if we need vaccines at all..?
Why do you think they are beneficial or can you recommend any authors to me I should check out?
Aren’t there other means, less invasive
to support well-being?
Jennifer says
What?
Maybe,, autism has always been here.
But it is not on the rise as is now the case, 1 out of 54 simply because health care professionals are better educated to identify it.
It’s been documented- the chemical soup babies swim in in utero.
Ultrasound, mother receiving vaccines during pregnancy, mother eating nonorganic food while pregnant and later childhood vaccine schedule all wreak havoc.
I believe the authors agenda is to wake up parents to critically think and question the lunatic professionals that follow pharma’s unnatural and sinister protocol.
Steph says
Awaiting moderation ….
Yeah, okay. I won’t expect to see my comment posted and I’m not all surprised that you’re censoring comments.
Jennifer Margulis, Ph.D. says
Dear Steph, thank you for taking the time to comment. All comment are moderated. We do not censor on this website unless people use profanity or ad hominem attacks. But sometimes it does take us awhile to approve the comments. Our apologies for the delay.
Ella says
Steph, to be fair, you only waited a mere 3 minutes between your initial comment and your complaint comment suspecting it wouldn’t be posted due to censorship. I’ve commented / asked questions on many cooking blogs that have taken a full day (a full 23-24 hours) to post. Cuz life is busy.
I appreciate this lady’s demonstrable objectivity in her writing. Many bloggers post opinions **without** all the direct references to ANY studies.
WhiteandNerdy says
Hello Dr. Margulis,
Please re-read the Myers’ paper.
They are very clear: autism is genetic and more than 100 genes are known to increase the risk for autism.
Their point is that all of these mutations also increase the risk for other neurological disorders too. And that no mutation that only increases the risk for autism (“autism specific” genes) have been identified. You have completely misunderstood the paper.
Also the “My son was developing normally” argument is completely without merit.
Consider Rett syndrome. It is genetic (the exact gene mutated is known) and these children are born normal, develop normally for a year or two, and then inevitably regress. The effects of a mutation present at conception may not occur for years and even decades after birth.
Finally, it is completely wrong to compare reported autism rates from 1965 with 2000 and 2020. Epidemiologists have been explaining this error in great detail now for more than a decade. It does appear that the rate of autism has increased, but only a relatively small increase. The data is very clear—there is not massive increase in the rate of autism.
Cheers,
W&N
Linda says
Whiteandnerdy,
You obviously don’t work in a school then where the number of children with autism is growing every year in every school. I’ve been teaching for 30 years and also have a child on the spectrum. Where were they all hiding before now? I never went to school with any autistic children and my brother was Downs so I know all about the special Ed schools that were available and the number of children in them. Nothing like today.
Alexandra Grabbe says
Autism was mentioned during the Environment and Public Works hearing December 15, chaired by Sen. Merkley, on plastic pollution, an important crisis that has started to draw attention, thank goodness. I think it was in reference to endocrine disruptors, rampant in the environment. A rep from Beyond Plastics was especially eloquent. Each of us consumes a credit card’s worth of plastic each week, according to Senator Merkley. All the chemicals involved! You should listen to the whole hearing. I’d link but cannot find it.
Crepeaux says
Please read Angrand et al., 2022, on ASD & Al adjuvants