Large family-based study finds 80 percent of autism risk due to inherited genes

A new study looking at autism in five countries found that 80 percent of autism risk can be traced to inherited genes rather than environmental factors and random mutations. The study, published July 18 in JAMA Psychiatry, analyzed data of nearly 2 million people across Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Israel and Western Australia. It is the largest family-based genetic autism study to date, including children with autism, their siblings and cousins, as well as parents and their siblings. Read more