New research from the University of Cambridge suggests that autism should not be understood as a homogeneous condition with a single cause. Scientists found that people diagnosed in early childhood often have a different genetic profile than those diagnosed later in life, broadening the understanding of how the condition develops. It also evaluated genetic data of more than 45,000 patients with the condition from diverse cohorts in Europe and the United States. They found only a slight overlap between the two groups, indicating that the biological mechanisms associated with autism in childhood may be different from those linked to autism identified in adolescence or adulthood. In contrast, those diagnosed after the age of 10 were more likely to experience social and behavioral difficulties during adolescence.