Researchers have revealed that that it takes more mutations to trigger autism in women than in men, which may explain why men are four times more likely to have the disorder, .
The study found that women with autism or developmental delay tend to have more large disruptions in their genomes than do men with the disorder. Inherited mutations are also more likely to be passed down from unaffected mothers than from fathers.
Together, the results suggest that women are resistant to mutations that contribute to autism.
The study has been published the American Journal of Human Genetics.
