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mrpg [soylentnews.org] writes:

A definitive cause for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has remained elusive, although the best picture so far seems to be one of a mix of genetic and environmental factors. This suggests that any genes involved with the condition by necessity are being passed on from generation to generation. A new study now suggests that these genes are being positively selected for.

The study, published in PLOS Genetics, looked at the prevalence of alleles, or gene variants, commonly associated with an increased risk of ASD. The researchers discovered that these variants were found in much larger numbers than would be expected by chance, and they suggest that this may be because they are also linked to other genes implicated in cognitive ability.

http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/gene-variants-linked-to-autism-may-have-been-positively-selected-for/ [iflscience.com]

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