systemizing: Diagnosed Autism Is More Common in an IT-Rich Region

June 21, 2011

Are Autism Spectrum Conditions More Prevalent in an

Information-Technology Region? A School-Based Study of Three Regions in

Roelfsema MT, Hoekstra RA, C, Wheelwright S, Brayne C, s

FE, Baron-Cohen S.

J Autism Dev Disord. 2011 Jun 17.

We tested for differences in the prevalence of autism spectrum

conditions (ASC) in school-aged children in three geographical regions

in the Netherlands. Schools were asked to provide the number of children

enrolled, the number having a clinical diagnosis of ASC and/or two

control neurodevelopmental conditions. Prevalence was evaluated by

negative binomial regression and adjustments were made for non-response

and size of the schools. The prevalence estimates of ASC in Eindhoven

was 229 per 10,000, significantly higher than in Haarlem (84 per 10,000)

and Utrecht (57 per 10,000), whilst the prevalence for the control

conditions were similar in all regions. Phase two is planned to validate

school-reported cases using standardized diagnostic methods and to

explore the possible causes for these differences.

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Diagnosed Autism Is More Common in an IT-Rich Region, Study Finds/*

....The researchers predicted that autism spectrum conditions (ASC) would

be more common in populations enriched for 'systemizing', which is the

drive to analyse how systems work, and to predict, control and build

systems. These skills are required in disciplines such as engineering,

physics, computing and mathematics.

The team had previously discovered evidence for a familial association

between a talent for systemizing and autism in that fathers and

grandfathers of children with ASC are over-represented in the field of

engineering. The team had also previously found that mathematicians more

often have a sibling with ASC, and students in the natural and

technological sciences, including mathematics, show a higher number of

autistic traits....

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