Medically Reviewed By Sonam Kothari, Written By Tejasvi Parekh
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition that affects how people communicate, interact socially, and behave. Autism looks different in every person, which is why it’s called a “spectrum”—some people might need a lot of support, while others require less.
As the number of people diagnosed with autism continues to grow, so does the amount of research being done to understand what causes autism and how to support autistic individuals better.
This article will explore the most recent discoveries about autism, including new information on genetics, the environment, brain development, gut health, and the tools we use to diagnose autism.
In recent years, more and more people have been diagnosed with autism. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 44 children in the U.S. is diagnosed with autism, which is an increase from 1 in 54 just a few years ago.
This increase highlights the need for more research to understand autism better—its causes, how it develops, and how we can improve the lives of autistic people.
Approximately 1 in 100 children in India is estimated to be on the autism spectrum. This aligns closely with global rates, which suggest a prevalence of 1–1.5% of the population.
The Autism Centre for Excellence (ACE) in Gurgaon has reported that around 18 million Indians could have autism, reflecting the prevalence across various age groups.
Autism is no longer considered rare, and researchers from different fields—like genetics, brain science, and environmental studies—are coming together to figure out what’s behind it.
Scientists have long known that genetics play a big role in autism, and research in 2024 has brought us even closer to understanding how. In a recent study involving over 45,000 people, scientists found nearly 150 specific gene differences that seem to increase the likelihood of developing autism.
These gene differences mostly affect how the brain develops and how nerve cells (neurons) connect, which can impact communication and social behaviour, areas often affected in autism.
What’s interesting is that some of these gene differences are linked to people with autism who also have above-average cognitive abilities, showing just how wide the autism spectrum is.
This discovery helps researchers understand that autism isn’t just one thing—it can look very different depending on the person’s genetic makeup. Learning more about these genes is helping scientists develop more personalised ways to support autistic people based on their specific needs.
While genes are important, the environment can also play a significant role in autism. Research in 2023 and 2024 has highlighted how factors like air pollution and maternal health during pregnancy can affect the likelihood of a child developing autism.
For example, one study found that pregnant women exposed to high levels of air pollution, especially in their third trimester, were more likely to have children later diagnosed with autism. This includes pollutants like ozone and fine particles that can harm brain development in the womb.
Another study showed that mothers with health conditions like obesity or diabetes also had a higher chance of having children with autism. This may be because these conditions cause inflammation, which can interfere with how a baby’s brain develops.
These findings are important because they show that some factors contributing to autism may be preventable, or at least manageable, with healthier environments and better prenatal care.
Recent research has also given us a clearer picture of how the brains of autistic individuals develop differently from those without autism.
One of the most exciting discoveries in 2024 involves something called myelination. Myelin is like insulation for the brain’s nerve fibres, helping messages travel quickly and smoothly between different parts of the brain.
Researchers found that some autistic individuals have less myelin in the parts of the brain involved in social skills and communication. This could explain why some people with autism struggle with social interactions and processing language.
In addition to myelination, scientists are also looking at how different parts of the brain communicate with each other. Using special brain-scanning tools, they’ve found that some areas of the brain in autistic people don’t connect the same way they do in non-autistic people.
This difference in brain connectivity can affect how autistic individuals perceive the world around them, interact with others, and handle sensory input like bright lights or loud noises. Understanding these brain differences helps researchers develop new therapies to improve communication and social skills for autistic individuals.
In recent years, researchers have started looking beyond the brain to understand autism, specifically focusing on the gut. You may have heard of the “gut-brain connection”—the idea that our digestive system can impact how our brain works.
Many autistic individuals experience digestive issues, and scientists are beginning to believe that gut health might play a role in autism symptoms.
In 2023 and 2024, research continued to show that the gut bacteria in autistic individuals are often unbalanced. They tend to have less beneficial bacteria and more harmful bacteria than people without autism.
This imbalance has been linked to common gastrointestinal (GI) problems, like stomach pain and constipation, which many autistic people experience. More surprisingly, it’s also been linked to some autism-related behaviours, such as difficulties with communication and sensitivity to sensory input.
One exciting study tried a treatment called microbiota transfer therapy (MTT), where healthy gut bacteria are transplanted into autistic children with gut problems. The results were promising: not only did their GI symptoms improve, but the children also showed better communication skills and less sensory sensitivity.
This suggests that improving gut health might help alleviate some autism symptoms.
Diagnosing autism early is essential because it allows for earlier support and intervention, which can significantly improve outcomes. Traditionally, autism is diagnosed based on observing a child’s behaviour, usually after the age of 2 or 3. However new research in 2024 has focused on developing tools that could detect autism even earlier.
One promising discovery is the auditory brainstem response (ABR) test, a hearing test often given to newborns. Researchers found that babies who later developed autism had slower brain responses to sounds during this test.
his means there is a potential for the use of the ABR test to identify autistic children much earlier than when these children display overt behavioral signs.
A large-scale effort is also included in the children's autism metabolome project, which has been working to identify blood profiles containing biomarkers for autism in children. These profiles, called metabotypes, can act as biological markers to make screening easier even at the age of 18 months for healthcare professionals.
Using blood tests to detect autism could provide a faster and more reliable way to diagnose the condition early, allowing for more personalized treatments based on a child’s specific biological needs.
While much of the research is focused on finding the causes of autism and improving treatments, it’s also important to consider the perspectives of the autistic community.
In recent years, the neurodiversity movement has grown, promoting the idea that autism is not a disorder to be “fixed” but a natural variation in how the brain works.
Instead of trying to make autistic individuals more like non-autistic people, the neurodiversity movement emphasizes acceptance and respect for autistic individuals’ unique strengths and challenges.
Advocates argue that society should focus on making environments more accommodating to autistic individuals—by reducing sensory overload, for instance—and providing support that allows them to thrive in a neurotypical world.
This shift in thinking is changing the way therapies are developed. Instead of focusing on “normalizing” autistic behaviour, newer therapies aim to help autistic individuals reach their own goals and improve their quality of life, whether that’s learning social skills, managing sensory sensitivities, or pursuing their special interests.
New studies from the UC Davis College of Biological Sciences suggest that a part of the brain called the cerebellum may play a bigger role in autism than previously thought.
Autism is often associated with difficulties in social interaction and communication, but the underlying causes are complex. The latest research shows that the cerebellum, a region known for controlling movement, may also influence behaviours related to autism.
Researchers Alex Nord and Diasynou Fioravante received funding from the National Institute of Mental Health to study a gene called Chd8, which is linked to autism.
Their research focuses on how this gene affects the cerebellum’s function and development. The cerebellum has connections to other brain regions that control important functions like emotions and decision-making, which are often impacted in individuals with autism.
For years, scientists believed that autism was mainly caused by issues in the brain's cerebral cortex, which handles complex thinking and sensory processing.
However, studies on mice have shown that even small abnormalities in the cerebellum can lead to autism-like behaviours. Mice with changes in the Chd8 gene had reduced interest in interacting with new mice, which mirrors social difficulties seen in autistic individuals.
This new research shows that autism is not only about problems with how neurons communicate at synapses but may also be due to changes in how genes control brain development.
The discovery that the cerebellum is involved could open up new areas for treatment. If scientists can better understand how Chd8 and the cerebellum affect autism, they may find new ways to help individuals with the condition.
The hope is that this research will also provide insights into other conditions, like schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder, which have been linked to changes in the same gene.
By continuing to study how the cerebellum influences behaviour, the researchers aim to explore new treatment options for autism and related disorders.
As we move into 2024 and beyond, the future of autism research looks bright. Scientists are continuing to explore how genetics, the environment, brain development, and gut health all play a role in autism.
New diagnostic tools are being developed to catch autism earlier than ever before, and the neurodiversity movement is helping to shift how we think about autism from a condition to be “cured” to a difference to be respected and supported.
Whether through improved treatments, earlier diagnoses, or simply creating a more inclusive society, the goal of autism research is to improve the lives of autistic individuals and help them reach their full potential.
There’s still much to learn, but every discovery brings us closer to understanding and supporting autism in all its complexity.
