Sex Differences in Autism Heritability and Likelihood: What's in a Residual?

This editorial discusses the heritability and likelihood of autism, focusing on the differences between males and females. The authors highlight that autism is a neurodevelopmental condition with a wide range of behaviors and cognitive skills. They discuss a study that found higher heritability for autism in males compared to females, contradicting the idea of a "female protective effect." The authors suggest that the differences in heritability may be due to greater genetic variability in males. They also mention the importance of considering neurodiversity and the impact of gene-environment interactions, particularly during prenatal development. The study's findings warrant further research and consideration of factors such as intellectual disability, age of diagnosis, and prenatal hormone levels. [Extracted from the article]

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