Sex differences in autism

Abstract

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that occurs much more frequently in males than in females. This article provides an overview and evidence supporting leading theories regarding sex differences in the brain in autism. These include: (1) the multifactorial liability model, which includes predictions about female protection and male vulnerability to autism; (2) the extreme male brain theory, which posits that all autistic individuals, both male and female, are shifted toward a male phenotype; and (3) the gender incoherence theory, which suggests that autistic males and females are shifted toward the opposite sex.