Scientists Studied 18,000 Families. An Autism Risk Pattern Stood Out
Summary
Scientists studied genetic data from more than 18,000 families with autism and found that genetic risk scores work best for people of European ancestry. The accuracy of these scores decreases for people from other ancestry groups, showing a need for more diverse research to make genetic tools useful for everyone.Key Facts
- Researchers analyzed data from 18,383 families affected by autism using the SPARK autism research project.
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects communication and interaction and is diagnosed in about 1 in 31 children in the U.S.
- Genetic scores estimating inherited autism risk are most accurate for people with European ancestry.
- The further a person’s genetic ancestry is from Europeans, the less accurate the autism risk scores become.
- In European ancestry families, a higher polygenic score is linked to a 28% higher risk of autism.
- Genetic scores related to other brain and psychiatric traits like schizophrenia and ADHD also correlate with autism risk.
- Scientists say these scores are not yet ready for use in predicting autism in individuals.
- More diverse and larger genetic studies are needed to improve accuracy and usefulness of these risk scores across all populations.
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