Accounting for autism’s prevalence

Recent articles

Out-of-focus photograph of a young girl sitting at a desk using an eraser.

U.S. study charts changing prevalence of profound and non-profound autism

Profound autism prevalence rose from 2002 to 2016, though not nearly as much as non-profound autism did.

By Angie Voyles Askham
19 April 2023 | 6 min read
Overhead picture of a racially diverse group of children playing while lying on a blue carpet.

U.S. autism prevalence continues to rise as race and sex gaps shrink, new stats show

About 1 in 36 children in the United States has autism, up almost 20 percent from the previous estimate, reflecting improved identification, particularly among girls and Black, Hispanic and Asian or Pacific Islander children.

By Peter Hess
23 March 2023 | 4 min read
A map of England displaying autism incidence.

Autism incidence in England varies by ethnicity, class, location

High rates of autism are linked to lower socioeconomic status and minority ethnic groups, according to the largest-ever autism incidence study.

By Isabel Ruehl
6 December 2022 | 5 min read
wooden pebble shapes stacked on top of each other, at varying heights, and according to colors of the spectrum.

Autism by the numbers: Explaining its apparent rise

Is autism really more common among children today than in generations past? This new downloadable book offers an in-depth guide to the various factors that have helped to drive autism prevalence numbers up.

By Spectrum
22 December 2021 | 1 min read
Birds-eye-view of children sitting on grass in a circle formation each inside a hula hoop to represent improved identification and diagnosis of autism.

U.S. autism prevalence inches upward as racial gaps close

Autism prevalence in the United States rose to 1 in 44 children in 2018, up from 1 in 54 in 2016.

By Peter Hess
2 December 2021 | 2 min read
Global autism prevalence map

Map of global autism prevalence

View an interactive map of studies on autism prevalence around the world. The map highlights places where information is available — and places where information is missing.

By Spectrum
5 November 2018 | 5 min read

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Illustration of two neon-toned sets of concentric circles overlapping, with bright spots where they intersect.

Are Brains and AI Converging?—an excerpt from ‘ChatGPT and the Future of AI: The Deep Language Revolution’

In his new book, to be published next week, computational neuroscience pioneer Sejnowski tackles debates about AI’s capacity to mirror cognitive processes.

By Terrence Sejnowski
21 October 2024 | 12 min read

New tissue-clearing techniques let microscopes peer deeper into living brains

Washing mouse brain tissue with a blood protein or complex sugar can illuminate cells 550 micrometers into the cortex without compromising its normal physiology.

By Calli McMurray
18 October 2024 | 0 min watch
A younger looking set of hands holds an older looking set of hands.

New catalog charts familial ties from autism to 90 other conditions

The research tool reveals associations stretching across three generations.

By Charles Q. Choi
17 October 2024 | 4 min read