Autism Comes in Several Distinct Types, Scientists Say

“On the spectrum.” These three words have become synonymous with autism, yet they conceal a common misunderstanding.

Autism’s diversity is something to celebrate—but it has long posed a challenge for researchers attempting to make sense of its wide range of traits.

The phrase suggests that all autistic people share similar experiences and traits, differing only in degree. The reality is far more complex, Michael Marshall reported for New Scientist.

Some autistic people may not speak at all, while others are hyperverbal and extremely fluent. Some are highly sensitive to bright lights and noise, while others are not.

Some have rigid routines and make repetitive movements such as hand-flapping, while others are more flexible but devote intense focus to “special interests,” ranging from Tudor history to Rubik’s cubes.

Autism’s diversity is something to celebrate—but it has long posed a challenge for researchers attempting to make sense of its wide range of traits.

That is beginning to change. Several recent studies suggest autism may consist of distinct subtypes, each associated with specific genetic patterns and brain activity.

Researchers are now exploring whether these subtypes could help autistic people receive more personalized support and better understand themselves.

“There is now a more concrete basis for understanding where their experiences are coming from,” said neuroscientist Conor Liston of Weill Cornell Medicine in New York.

However, attempts to categorize autism are not new, and some advocates remain cautious. “You might feel like subtyping is value-neutral,” said Amy Pearson, a psychologist at Durham University in the UK, “but for someone else, it really isn’t.”