Scientific talent and autism:

is there a connection?

Scientific talent and autism:

is there a connection?Simon Baron-CohenSimon Baron-Cohen

Autism Research CentreAutism Research Centre

Cambridge UniversityCambridge University

CollaboratorsCollaborators

Androgens: Androgens: Gerald Hackett, Kevin Taylor, Rebecca Knickmeyer, Gerald Hackett, Kevin Taylor, Rebecca Knickmeyer,

Bonnie Auyeung, Emma Chapman, Svetlana Lutchmaya, Bonnie Auyeung, Emma Chapman, Svetlana Lutchmaya, Rebecca Jones, Melissa Hines, Ieaun HughesRebecca Jones, Melissa Hines, Ieaun Hughes

Genetics: Genetics: Bhismadev Chakrabarti, Grant Hill-Cawthorne, Frank Bhismadev Chakrabarti, Grant Hill-Cawthorne, Frank

Dudbridge, Patrick Chinnery, Sally Wheelwright, Dudbridge, Patrick Chinnery, Sally Wheelwright, Alex Pollitt, Carrie AllisonAlex Pollitt, Carrie Allison

NeuroimagingNeuroimaging Ed Bullmore, Howard Ring, Lloyd Gregory, Xavier Ed Bullmore, Howard Ring, Lloyd Gregory, Xavier

Chitnis, Steve Williams, Mick Brammer, Jac Chitnis, Steve Williams, Mick Brammer, Jac Billington, Chris AshwinBillington, Chris Ashwin

Autism Spectrum ConditionsAutism Spectrum Conditions

““Symptoms”Symptoms” Social and communication Social and communication difficultiesdifficulties

narrow narrow interests/obsessions/routinesinterests/obsessions/routines

SubgroupsSubgroups Classic autism: 4:1 (male:female)Classic autism: 4:1 (male:female) Asperger Syndrome: 9:1Asperger Syndrome: 9:1

Hans Asperger (1944)Hans Asperger (1944)

““for success in science … a dash of autism is for success in science … a dash of autism is essential…essential…

……the necessary ingredients may be an ability the necessary ingredients may be an ability to turn away from the everyday world …to turn away from the everyday world …

… … with all abilities with all abilities canalisedcanalised into the one into the one speciality”speciality”..

Ioan James: Singular ScientistsIoan James: Singular Scientists

Isaac Newton Isaac Newton President Royal Soc 1703President Royal Soc 1703 laws of classical mechanics, motion, laws of classical mechanics, motion, gravitygravity

Albert Einstein Albert Einstein Nobel Prize Physics 1905Nobel Prize Physics 1905 relativity theoryrelativity theory

Paul Dirac Paul Dirac Nobel Prize Physics 1933Nobel Prize Physics 1933 architect of quantum mechanics and atomic architect of quantum mechanics and atomic theorytheory

Ioan James: Singular ScientistsIoan James: Singular Scientists

Henry CavendishHenry Cavendish discovered hydrogen, and the electric discovered hydrogen, and the electric potentialpotential

Marie Curie (mother): Marie Curie (mother): Nobel Prize Chemistry 1911Nobel Prize Chemistry 1911 isolated radiumisolated radium

Irene Joliot-Curie (daughter): Irene Joliot-Curie (daughter): Nobel Prize Chemistry 1935Nobel Prize Chemistry 1935 Nuclear fissionNuclear fission

Isaac NewtonIsaac Newton

Loner in childhood, Loner in childhood,

obsessed with building obsessed with building

mechanical modelsmechanical models

Quarrelled with everyone, Quarrelled with everyone, lukewarm to his friends, cruel to lukewarm to his friends, cruel to his rivalshis rivals

Lectured to an empty lecture Lectured to an empty lecture theatre for 17 yearstheatre for 17 years

J. Royal Soc Med 2003

Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein Loner in childhood, late to talk, Loner in childhood, late to talk, then echolalicthen echolalic

Didn’t need people. Occasionally Didn’t need people. Occasionally violent to his first wife. Gave away one violent to his first wife. Gave away one childchild

““II do not socialize because social encounters would distract me do not socialize because social encounters would distract me from my work and I really only live for thatfrom my work and I really only live for that……music is a way for music is a way for me to be independent of people”me to be independent of people”

Confusing lecturer: would go into a trance for minutesConfusing lecturer: would go into a trance for minutes

Diagnosing dead scientistsDiagnosing dead scientists

Unreliable?Unreliable? fragments of biographical fragments of biographical evidenceevidence

Unfair?Unfair? did they want a did they want a diagnosis?diagnosis?

Unclear?Unclear? did the individual did the individual “suffer”?“suffer”?

The clinical anecdotal approach

The Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) The Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ)

JADD, 2001

• I prefer to do things with others rather than on my own

• I often notice small sounds when others do not

• I usually notice car number plates or similar strings of information

The AQ: Group studiesThe AQ: Group studies

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

0 to 56 to 1011 to 1516 to 2021 to 2526 to 3031 to 3536 to 4041 to 4546 to 50

% of subjects

AS/HFAControls

JADD, 2001

Richard Borcherds (Fields Medal)Richard Borcherds (Fields Medal)

meanmean AQAQ

ControlsControls 16.416.4 (6)(6)

BorcherdsBorcherds 3232

Group studies: AQ in scientistsGroup studies: AQ in scientists

10

12

14

16

18

20

science non-science

AQ score

malesfemales

JADD, 2001

Group studies: AQGroup studies: AQ

mean mean sdsd

ASAS 35.835.8 6.56.5MathsMaths 21.521.5 6.46.4

Males Males 17.817.8 6.86.8FemalesFemales 15.415.4 5.75.7

JADD, 2001

The Intuitive Physics Test

Intuitive Physics TestIntuitive Physics Test

meanmean sdsd

ASAS 16.316.3 3.13.1

ControlsControls 10.310.3 2.82.8

J. Dev. Learning Disorders, 2001

Attention todetail:

The EmbeddedFigures Test

Attention to detail: Embedded Figures TestAttention to detail: Embedded Figures Test

meanmean sdsd

ASAS 17.217.2 0.30.3ScientistsScientists 15.115.1

0.30.3

MalesMales 13.6 13.6 0.40.4FemalesFemales 12.812.8 0.70.7

JCPP (1997); Billington et al

Why the link between scientific talent and

autistic traits?

Why the link between scientific talent and

autistic traits?

The hyper-systemizing theoryThe hyper-systemizing theoryAutisticAutistic ScientificScientific

traitstraits interestinterest

Hyper-Hyper-

systemizingsystemizing

The hyper-systemizing theoryThe hyper-systemizing theory

SystemizingSystemizing The drive to analyse or build a The drive to analyse or build a systemsystem

Types of systemTypes of system mechanicalmechanical naturalnatural abstractabstract socialsocial collectiblecollectible

SystemizingSystemizing

Input -> Input -> Operation ->Operation -> OutputOutput------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------

light light switch toswitch to lightlightoffoff ->-> downdown ->-> onon

33 ->-> cubecube ->-> 2727------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------Repetitive, lawful, deterministicRepetitive, lawful, deterministic

The Systemizing Quotient (SQ): some examples

The Systemizing Quotient (SQ): some examples

If I were buying a car, I would If I were buying a car, I would want to obtain specific information want to obtain specific information about its engine capacityabout its engine capacity

If there was a problem with the If there was a problem with the electrical wiring in my home, I’d electrical wiring in my home, I’d be able to fix it myselfbe able to fix it myself

The Systemizing Quotient (SQ)(max = 80)

The Systemizing Quotient (SQ)(max = 80)

meanmean sdsd

ASAS 77.277.2 22.822.8

ScientistsScientists 65.465.4 12.612.6

MalesMales 61.261.2 19.219.2

FemalesFemales 51.751.7 19.219.2

Brain Research (2006)

The sex-linked theoryThe sex-linked theory

AutisticAutisticSystemizingSystemizing

traitstraits (AQ)(AQ) (SQ)(SQ)

MalenessMaleness

The sex-linked theoryThe sex-linked theory

““The autistic personality is an The autistic personality is an extreme variant of male extreme variant of male intelligence…intelligence…

In the autistic individual the In the autistic individual the male pattern is exaggerated to male pattern is exaggerated to the extreme”the extreme”

Hans Asperger (1944)

The Systemizing Quotient (SQ)(max = 80)

The Systemizing Quotient (SQ)(max = 80)

meanmean sdsd

ASAS 77.277.2 22.822.8

ScientistsScientists 65.465.4 12.612.6

MalesMales 61.261.2 19.219.2

FemalesFemales 51.751.7 19.219.2

Brain Research (2006)

Is the link between males and systemizing innate?

Is the link between males and systemizing innate?

% of babies showing a looking preference% of babies showing a looking preference

FaceFace MobileMobileEqualEqual

BoysBoys 2525 4343 3232

Girls Girls 3636 1717 4747

Infant Behavior and Dev (2000)

The foetal androgen theoryThe foetal androgen theoryAutisticAutisticSystemizingSystemizing

traitstraits (AQ)(AQ) (SQ)(SQ)

FoetalFoetal

testosteronetestosterone

Measuring foetal testosterone (FT) and behaviour at follow-up

Measuring foetal testosterone (FT) and behaviour at follow-up

FT masculinizes the brain and behaviour in rats

FT surge:12-18 weeks, at time of amnio

Males > females

FT and SQ

Auyeung et al (2006)(both sexes: B = 0.37, SE = 1.4, p < 0.001)

FT predicts AQ score at 8 yrs old

Auyeung et al (submitted)

The genetic theoryThe genetic theory

AutisticAutisticSystemizingSystemizing

traitstraits (AQ)(AQ) (SQ)(SQ)

CandidateCandidate

genesgenes

The genetic theoryThe genetic theory

Are both parents of children Are both parents of children with autism strong with autism strong systemizers?systemizers?

Assortative matingAssortative mating

Parents: Elevated AQParents: Elevated AQmean mean sdsd

ASAS 35.835.8 6.56.5

FathersFathers 22.822.8 10.610.6MothersMothers 17.517.5 10.110.1

Males Males 17.817.8 6.86.8FemalesFemales 15.415.4 5.75.7

Wheelwright et al (submitted)

Parents: Excellent attentionParents: Excellent attention

xx sdsd

MalesMales46.2 46.2 20.520.5

FemalesFemales 66.766.7 36.736.7

FathersFathers 32.832.8 17.717.7

MothersMothers 48.648.6 31.831.8

JCN, 1997

EFT

leftfusiform& visualcortex

Parents: hyper-male brain activity on EFT

Brain and Cog (2006)

red:left

blue:rightvisualcortex

Parents: both have fathers who are strong systemizers

Parents: both have fathers who are strong systemizers

EngineeringEngineeringSocial Social Work Work

(%)(%) (%)(%)

Autism Autism 21.221.2 0.50.5

DownsDowns 10.010.0 2.52.5Autism, 1997Table shows % of grandfathers

ConclusionsConclusions

In certain environments, autism is In certain environments, autism is notnot a disabilitya disability

Autistic traits and scientific talent Autistic traits and scientific talent are linkedare linked

These are both mediated by These are both mediated by hyper-systemizinghyper-systemizing malenessmaleness foetal testosteronefoetal testosterone common genescommon genes

www.autismresearchcentre.com

For more information

Thanks to: The Nancy Lurie Marks

FoundationMedical Research Council UK

Target Autism Genome

The spectrum: Classic autism, Asperger Syndrome, and their parents

The spectrum: Classic autism, Asperger Syndrome, and their parentsIslets ofIslets of obsessionsobsessionsrepetitive repetitive

abilityability behaviourbehaviour

Hyper-systemizingHyper-systemizing