Researchers at the Universities of Edinburgh and Queensland have found new evidence linking genetic factors associated with autism to better cognitive ability in people who do not have the condition, Science Daily reports.
 

Seven in 10 individuals with autism have an intellectual disabilities, but some people with the disorder have higher than average intelligence, past studies have shown.
 

Autism is a developmental disability that can cause significant language and speech difficulties. Non-verbal intelligence enables people to solve complex problems using visual and hands-on reasoning skills requiring little or no use of language.
 

For the latest study, the scientists analyzed nearly 10,000 Scots, testing them for general cognitive ability and examining their DNA.
 

They found that genetic traits associated with the disorder are also linked to higher scores on cognitive tests.
 

"Our findings show that genetic variation which increases risk for autism is associated with better cognitive ability in non-autistic individuals,” said Toni-Kim Clarke, M.D., of the University of Edinburgh's Division of Psychiatry, who led the study. “As we begin to understand how genetic variants associated with autism impact brain function, we may begin to further understand the nature of autistic intelligence."
 

Nick Martin, of the Queensland Institute for Medical Research, added: "Links between autism and better cognitive function have been suspected and are widely implied by the well-known ‘Silicon Valley syndrome’ and films such as ‘Rain Man’ as well as in popular literature.
 

“This study suggests genes for autism may actually confer, on average, a small intellectual advantage in those who carry them, provided they are not affected by autism."

The study was published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.