Skip to main content
Log in

Genetics

How to talk about autism: reconciling genomics and neurodiversity

  • News & Views
  • Published:

From Nature Medicine

View current issue Submit your manuscript

A new study showing that genetic and non-genetic factors contribute to autistic traits calls for a fundamental realignment of the concepts and methods of genomics, with a critical understanding of the biosocial complexity of autism.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

References

  1. Sanderson, K. Nature 598, 17–18 (2021).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Rolland, T. et al. Nat. Med. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02408-2 (2023).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Navon, D. & Eyal, G. Biosocieties 9, 329–352 (2014).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Hens, K. & Langenberg, R. Experiences of Adults Following an Autism Diagnosis (Palgrave MacMillan, 2018).

  5. Gerasimavicius, L., Livesey, B. J. & Marsh, J. A. Nat. Commun. 13, 3895 (2022).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Silberman, S. Neurotribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity (Avery, 2016).

  7. Blane, D., Kelly-Irving, M., D’Errico, A., Bartley, M. & Montgomery, S. Longit. Life Course Stud. 4, 136–146 (2013).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Chiapperino, L. & Paneni, F. Clin. Epigenetics 14, 6 (2022).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Hens, K. Dev. Med. Child Neurol. 61, 1025–1029 (2019).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  10. Timmermans, S. & Buchbinder, M. J. Health Soc. Behav. 51, 408–423 (2010).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

L.C.’s contribution to this work is part of the Swiss National Science Foundation Ambizione project ‘Constructing the Biosocial: an engaged inquiry into epigenetics and post-genomic biosciences’ (grant number 185822). K.H. is funded by a European Research Council starting grant under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (grant agreement 804881).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kristien Hens.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chiapperino, L., Hens, K. How to talk about autism: reconciling genomics and neurodiversity. Nat Med 29, 1607–1608 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02403-7

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02403-7

  • Springer Nature America, Inc.

Navigation