[ruthmarx]

> Autism can be reliably diagnosed at 2.5 years of age, so we probably aren't looking at a strong cultural bias in in how kids are presenting with autism. These models using data from countries where the healthcare systems provides support for appropriate screening and testing further minimizing bias due to culture.

I'm not talking about bias due to culture but culture having a real physical effect on development. It wouldn't be noticeable in toddlers but would in older children, if present.

> Brain plasticity may vary by region,

That was my point, that local culture can play a large role in shaping how autism can manifest.

> then the next step would be to do as I previously suggested. That is, identify where the many genome wide variations converge on biomarkers driving differences in plasticity.

I think it would make sense to evaluate adults from different cultures with same or similar autism types and compare and contrast their neurology.