What causes Asperger's/autism?

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I am a 28 year old female that has Asperger's Syndrome. I got diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome when I was 12. I am really bad at socializing and communicating with people. I take things literally and I don't understand most jokes. I don't understand figures of speech, body language and facial expressions. I feel really immature for my age. I can NOT relate to my peers. Does anyone here have any ideas of what causes Asperger's/autism? Does mercury cause Asperger's/autism? Am I to old to get tested for mercury? What is the process like to get tested for mercury? Thanks in advance.

Again mercury and vaccines don't cause aspergers. It has to do with genes.

I' my case, it's that wonderful hormone that makes me different from most women. Testosterone.

I've read some literature, and I am in the understanding nobody knows what causes AS. Genes are strongly related, but is not the only factor, 'cause people with AS can have NT kid and viceversa. That mercury/vaccines thing is a myth. I understand AS is a difference in the structure of the brain and its connections.

Asparagus.

No one really knows, but genes and prenatal development are likely. I also read a theory that stress during pregnancy can cause atypical brain development in the fetus. This makes sense, as stress hormones released by the mother's body can be linked to a whole range of mental disorders in children.

The most convincing thing I've came across is excitotoxicity. It currently explains why autism was around before vaccines, how genes could effect autism (more sensitive to excitotoxicity), and how not just vaccines, but a myriad of things could lead to autism, which also explains why autism itself varies so much in symptoms.

BUT, there is still no hard evidence on any cause.

Genes don't necessarily mean that you are exactly the same as your parents.

Firstly, you may get a mutation, so that your genes are different to your parents, but your condition is still genetic.

Secondly, your parents may have "recessive" genes - genes that you don't see any effects for, but still they lurk in the parent. If both parents carry a recessive gene as well as a dominant gene, then some of the children will be different to the parents - e.g. two red flowers might produce a white flower if both red flowers carried a white-petal gene (recessive) as well as a red petal gene (dominant), but of course most of their children will have red petals. So you can be carrying genes that you don't realise you have (e.g. a person who looks NT might still have some non-NT genes, or two medium-height parents may have some children who are short and some who are tall, as in my family).

Finally, genes can be switched on or off by other genes, by substances produced by the parents, and by environmental substances. For example, there are genes known to influence ADHD which are much more potent if the mother was smoking during pregnancy. This whole phenomenon of genes being switched on and off is called "epigenetics".

But mutations and recessive genes are entirely genetic phenomena that produce children who are different to their parents.

Yup. And it's not just recessive genes. It's that autism isn't just one gene--it's many genes, probably hundreds or thousands all coming together. And not the same collection of genes each time, either. If it were, we'd have found "the gene" for autism ages ago.

So, say your mom has some genes that are involved with autism; but for her, there are not enough of them for autism to show up. And your dad has some genes that are involved with autism; but his aren't enough to show up either.

When they have a baby, there's no guarantee that kid will have autism; but if the kid gets just the right combination of genes, they can--even though neither parent has autism. It can happen even when neither family has ever had autism in it.

Autism has approximately a 90% heritability. That means that for any given case, 90% of the cause can be traced back to genetics. The rest is probably epigenetic.

Oddly enough, I know one woman who attributes her autism to a serious prenatal injury that caused neurological damage. Apparently her mother attempted to abort her, but only succeeded in damaging parts of her (the child's) brain: e.g. the region responsible for facial recognition among others. I hasten to add, I don't think this one case tells us much about the usual causes of autism, it is just curious.

I thought that women don't have Testosterone?

I heard that if someone has a parent with a mental illness like Schizophrenia, then their kid could have Asperger's/autism. My mom has Schizophrenia. I wonder if I got Asperger's because my mom has Schizophrenia? I don't know anyone in my family besides me that is on the autism spectrum.

Ah, that must be because it sounds like Asperger's!

Just joking.

The genetic model seems to be agreed upon despite our knowledge of the process still being murky. But the impact of environment triggers is still a contention. Currently parental age is a significant factor in the likelihood of autism in children. This is of interest to me as I was 38 and my wife 36 when my daughter was born.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/02/ ... UC20100208
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/09/health/09autism.html

Likely a multi-gene origin with epi-gentic factors and exposure to the enviroment effecting the expressions of these multiple genes. Genes ASPG1, and ASPG2 have been found to play a role in some families that have asperger's.

Also, if you believe vaccines cause autism I have a bridge in brooklyn to sell you. Its on sale too, just for you!

Female bodies produce androgens and male bodies produce estrogens. They just produce them in very low levels.

Some conditions - like PCOS - can cause higher levels.