Severity of autism symptoms varies greatly among identical t

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Severity of autism symptoms varies greatly among identical twins

Identical twins with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience large differences in symptom severity even though they share the same DNA, according to an analysis funded by the National Institutes of Health. The findings suggest that identifying the causes of this variability may inform the treatment of ASD-related symptoms. The study was conducted by John Constantino, M.D., of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and colleagues. Funding was provided by NIH's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). The study appears in Behavior Genetics.

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases ... 122719.php

There's a pair of 4-year-olds playing in the next room (nephews). They present differently. One is pretty oblivious to other people, self-contained, confident, wants to know how things work, has a vocal stim. The other is the opposite, he wants to fit in, wants to understand people, is more anxious, chatty, he doesn't stim as such but makes more demands.

Yes, severity of autism symptoms may vary greatly between identical twin.

The fact is that the results of studies on identical twins may also vary greatly and that none gives a satisfactory explanation for this riddle.

So is this indication of an actual brain trauma or epigenetics or both?

Autism as we "know" it won't exists in the next 20 years, lol. I'm ready to place a bet on it.

Thanks for posting this, firemonkey. The issue of twins and autism is one that is close to my heart, as there are twins in my family, and I’ve worked with autistic twins in Australia. I put together an article on it, including research and news items, including “The Taiwanese Man Who Adopted Autistic Twins” and others’ stories etc ...

http://www.aspie-editorial.com/twins-on-the-spectrum/

Severe Autism is far better than mild Autism. I would rather be severely Autistic unable to talk than be an unemployable mild Autistic with no support. There is far more support provided for severely Autistic people than mild Autistic people.

People with mild Autism are equally as unemployable as people with severe Autism. With mild Autism we have no support and hated by majority of people for being weird, socially inept creeps. Unable to make friends and unable to find employment are the challenges that Autistic people face.

All the twins I've known with ASD, one has it and the other doesn't.

The twin without ASD will live a happy normal life but the twin with ASD will live a miserable, lonely existence. Most of us with ASD merely exist, we do not truly live life because we are usually socially excluded and we face struggles with employment.