Who was the first person or thing with AS/Autism?

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was it started in the 1600s? the time of the eygyptians? monkeys? where the F did this autism AS gene start? come from? literaly?

If in the future a specific genetic basis for AS is defined then the evolution of the genes implicated could be studied in different populations which can give insights into their historical origin. If certain populations lack AS then it would suggest it appeared relatively recently, and we could potentially trace its origin within the last 70,000 or so years (when we left Africa).

On the other hand, there have been studies in mice where specific genetic defects have been associated with mouse behaviors considered homologous to human autism. Assuming that similar neurological defects can arise in non-human vertebrates then we could be talking 70+ million years (the time before humans and mice diverged).

I don't think there's an "autism/AS gene". It would be like asking "Where did the NT gene come from?"
The only reason average people get along fine in society is because they're working in a society made to cater to their mental type, but if you look from an outside point of view, say, planetary or even universal, the average human being can probably be said to be very mentally ill and disillusioned. It's just how we are as a race, ALL of us. I think there have always been autistic and AS people as far back as homo sapiens go, but society has evolved in a direction that makes no sense to autistics and that we have a lot of trouble functioning it. There's not even proof that we did well in the past -- people weren't any nicer a thousand years ago, I'd think. To me, the premise of your question is flawed so it's hard to answer.

"Early studies of twins estimated the heritability of autism to be more than 90%; in other words, that 90% of the differences between autistic and non-autistic individuals is due to genetic effects." - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heritability_of_autism

You're right that there is no 'autism/AS gene', however there are gene variants associated with increased risk of autism/AS.

I suspect that if it wasn't for aspies and/or autists our world would be much less evolved.
Take for instance the current progress in technology, computer science, physics, and so on... lots of it have a hand of AS in it...
It is highly likely that people like Einstein or Mozart, just to name the most known, were probably on the spectrum, and there are lots more that we will never know... If we could go back, say, to ancient Greece, when scientists and philosophers made discoveries that would only be confirmed centuries later, well, maybe we would find some aspies amongst them...
I also believe that there is the strong possibility of genetic heritability for autism and AS, like Combo said, from gene variants, or specific parts of DNA code that are mutated and pass on from generation to generation.
Now, when has this mutation begun, who knows? It's just Nature's work I guess, we are meant to mutate, to evolve, and it's the differences that make us who we are. This one in particular has probably been amongst us for a long, long time... so maybe Mother Nature is trying to make a point there...

This is about man first DIAGNOSED with autism: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc ... hild/8227/

Ofc there were many undiagnosed auties before him.