This study was prompted by findings reported to the Institute of Medicine by Blaxill in July 2001, which showed increases in autism incidence in California in association with increases in the use of thimerosal-containing vaccines during the 1990s. To further examine the plausibility of this finding, this study took advantage of the cessation of thimerosal use in Denmark and Sweden in 1992 to conduct a before and after comparison of the incidence or case numbers of autism. In both countries, autism increases throughout the years 1987-1999, contrary to the decrease in autism that would be expected after 1992 if thimerosal exposure was related to autism. The increasing trend for autism is most notable in Denmark where the number of autism cases rises substantially even after the discontinuation of thimerosal use. (Stehr-Green, P., Tull, P., Stellfeld, M., Mortenson, P. B. & Simpson, D. (2003). Autism and thimerosal-containing vaccines: Lack of consistent evidence for an association. American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 25(2), 101-6)
Vaccines are easily the most widely discussed controversial cause of autism. I assume autism has several causes, concentrating on those that influence rates of maturation. Vaccines haven’t seemed relevant to the particular focus my work addresses, evolutionary causes.
The excerpt above notes surges in autism in Denmark and Sweden. It hadn’t crossed my mind until now, but it makes sense that increases in autism would most likely occur in Northern climes (encouraged by the pineal/testosterone connection, light influencing testosterone levels based on seasonal effects) and in Scandinavia where the populution already exhibits neoteny in both sexes.
I would guess that Scandninavian autism would have larger percentages of males to females with autism, what with females displaying neoteny as opposed to acceleration.
