These Researchers Know That a Major Cause of "Autism" Is An Older Father, Yet Will They Inform the Public? No, Why Not?

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — The UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute will host lectures by Tony Charman, professor of neurodevelopmental disorders at University College London, on Wednesday, June 13, at the UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute,2825 50th St., Sacramento. Charman will speak twice -- at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.-- on subtype and prevalence studies in the United Kingdom and what the outcomes of these studies mean for the worldwide community of autism scientists and service providers.



During a 4 p.m. academic presentation -- “Looking for Subgroups Among Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders” -- Charman will discuss ongoing efforts in the United Kingdom to identify meaningful subgroups of individuals with autism. The fact that autism is not a unitary disorder presents a significant challenge to researchers trying to identify causes and cures. Drawing on data from a population-representative sample of children with autism in the United Kingdom, Charman will address whether suggested subtypes based on behavioral, cognitive and biological features hold up to scrutiny and the implications for future epidemiological studies.