Accounting for autism’s prevalence

Recent articles

Global autism prevalence map

Map of global autism prevalence

View an interactive map of studies on autism prevalence around the world. The map highlights places where information is available — and places where information is missing.

By Spectrum
20 March 2025 | 5 min read
Out-of-focus photograph of a young girl sitting at a desk using an eraser.

U.S. study charts changing prevalence of profound and non-profound autism

Profound autism prevalence rose from 2002 to 2016, though not nearly as much as non-profound autism did.

By Angie Voyles Askham
19 April 2023 | 6 min read
Overhead picture of a racially diverse group of children playing while lying on a blue carpet.

U.S. autism prevalence continues to rise as race and sex gaps shrink, new stats show

About 1 in 36 children in the United States has autism, up almost 20 percent from the previous estimate, reflecting improved identification, particularly among girls and Black, Hispanic and Asian or Pacific Islander children.

By Peter Hess
23 March 2023 | 5 min read
A map of England displaying autism incidence.

Autism incidence in England varies by ethnicity, class, location

High rates of autism are linked to lower socioeconomic status and minority ethnic groups, according to the largest-ever autism incidence study.

By Isabel Ruehl
6 December 2022 | 5 min read
wooden pebble shapes stacked on top of each other, at varying heights, and according to colors of the spectrum.

Autism by the numbers: Explaining its apparent rise

Is autism really more common among children today than in generations past? This new downloadable book offers an in-depth guide to the various factors that have helped to drive autism prevalence numbers up.

By Spectrum
22 December 2021 | 1 min read
Birds-eye-view of children sitting on grass in a circle formation each inside a hula hoop to represent improved identification and diagnosis of autism.

U.S. autism prevalence inches upward as racial gaps close

Autism prevalence in the United States rose to 1 in 44 children in 2018, up from 1 in 54 in 2016.

By Peter Hess
2 December 2021 | 2 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Research image of neuron organization in c elegans.

Worms help untangle brain structure/function mystery

The synaptic connectome of most animals bears little resemblance to functional brain maps, but it can still predict neuronal activity, according to two preprints that tackle the puzzle in C. elegans

By Holly Barker
29 August 2025 | 7 min read
Research image of microglia in organoids.

Microglia nurture young interneurons

The immune cells secrete a growth factor that “sets the supply of GABAergic interneurons in the developing brain.”

By Lauren Schenkman
28 August 2025 | 4 min read

Xaq Pitkow shares his principles for studying cognition in our imperfect brains and bodies

Pitkow discusses how evolution's messy constraints shape optimal brain algorithms, from Bayesian inference to ecological affordances.

By Paul Middlebrooks
27 August 2025 | 1 min read

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