Genetic relationship between the immune system and autism

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common and complex neurodevelopmental condition. The pathophysiology of ASD is poorly defined; however, it includes a strong genetic component and there is increasing evidence to support a role of immune dysregulation. Nonetheless, it is unclear which immune phenotypes link to ASD through genetics. Hence, we investigated the genetic correlation between ASD and diverse classes of immune conditions and markers; and if these immune-related genetic factors link to specific autistic-like traits in the population.