There are extensive research trials underway that attempt to shed some light on this issue, but as of yet nothing conclusive has been discovered. There are many schools of thought, however, that attempt to hypothesize what causes autism. Many people think that genetics play a key role in whether or not a child will be born with autism. There has been recent research conducted that suggests that some people have more of a genetic predisposition than others, but again, nothing has been proven without a doubt. Other people suggest that an imbalance of neurotransmitters is the culprit, and both of these theories need further clarification. As far as genetic predisposition, families that have one child with autism have a 5% chance of having another autistic child. This risk factor is much greater than it is in the normal population. Like Sherlock Holmes on an impossible case, researchers are delving for clues as to what the real cause of autism is, and whether or not it does in fact have any relation to genes. In many families with an autistic child, the parents will also show an impaired ability to make social connections, and this is strong evidence for the case that it is passed down genetically. Children have only recently been tested for autism at an early age, and only very recently has it been discovered that autism exists in adults as well as children. It is possible that many parents of autistic children have autism themselves, but have learned to cope as they grew up, leading to a dissipation of symptoms. Studies also suggest that autistic people have levels of serotonin that are abnormal when compared to a normal brain, and this is what gave rise to the neurotransmitter theory of autism. Promising research suggests that we may have the answer very soon.
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