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Implication of sex differences in the familial transmission of infantile autism

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Abstract

There are studies suggesting possible hereditary influence in autism. Data on 102 autistic children, 78 boys and 24 girls, showed that there was a significantly greater proportion of autistic girls than boys with IQs less than 50 and with evidence of brain damage. The autistic girls also had a greater proportion of relatives affected with autism or cognitive-language deficit than did the boys. The implication of sex differences in the possible mode of familial transmission of autism is discussed.

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This research was supported in part by grants from the Iowa Mental Health Research Fund Grant and by a grant from the Bureau of Education for the Handicapped, No. 30770242.

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Tsai, L., Stewart, M.A. & August, G. Implication of sex differences in the familial transmission of infantile autism. J Autism Dev Disord 11, 165–173 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01531682

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