January 29, 2026New research has identified distinct genetic profiles linked to different behavioral and developmental patterns in autistic individuals, reinforcing the understanding that autism is highly complex and not driven by a single cause or influence. Children with an early autism diagnosis were more likely to demonstrate challenges with social interactions from infancy to early childhood, the study showed. They also found that the average genetic profile of autism diagnosed later in life was closer to that of ADHD, and co-occurring disorders like depression and PTSD, than it was to autism diagnosed in early childhood. A lack of support in early childhood, however, may potentially increase the risk for mental health issues in the later-diagnosed group, the researchers pointed out. Cambridge University’s Warrier summed up his research: “For the first time, we have found that earlier- and later-diagnosed autism have different underlying biological and developmental profiles.