My son has been diagnosed with Asperger's, and after learning more about it, it is painfully clear that both I and my wife and several other close family members have many of the same traits, just not extreme enough to be a "problem".
That is to say, the official DSM-5 definition of autism includes "Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning." I definitely feel like I share many of the traits, but they just make me socially awkward rather than significantly impairing me.
So I'll be shocked if there doesn't turn out to be a very significant genetic link. I suspect difficulties so far in finding it have to do with lumping too many people in as "autistic" while excluding too many people who are "sort of autistic." The classes still need a better refactoring. :)
That is to say, the official DSM-5 definition of autism includes "Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning." I definitely feel like I share many of the traits, but they just make me socially awkward rather than significantly impairing me.
So I'll be shocked if there doesn't turn out to be a very significant genetic link. I suspect difficulties so far in finding it have to do with lumping too many people in as "autistic" while excluding too many people who are "sort of autistic." The classes still need a better refactoring. :)