Now this part is just dramatic - like a bad reality show - heavy on genes and zero on environmental causation - it's also the farthest thing from the epicenter of the immune and gut issues ,,,,,,,"Autism is a hereditary developmental disorder of the brain. A central risk factor for the development of autism are numerous mutations in over 300 genes that have been identified, including the gene neuroligin-3, which is involved in the formation of synapses, the contact junction between nerve cells"
Now for REALITY. Mercury IS a big player in regression into an Autism diagnosis. Autism has increased into an epidemic as environmental mercury and vaccine mercury aka Thimerosal have increased since the generation of children born in the 1990's. Thimerosal has been shown to be a significant producer of autoimmunity, thus, viral and bacterial vaccines as well as environmental infections trigger behaviors as many victims cannot clear these microbes which then trigger a whole host of medical issues involving mitochondria, GI and brain inflammation. It is a glaring reality that the first cases of Autism were children born in the 1930's, when Thimerosal was first used in both medical (vaccines) and environmental (pesticides) products. It may be important to note that vaccines today, like MMR [Measles-Mumps-Rubella] contain glutamate. In addition, it may be of interest to know that this upcoming drug being developed is a new version of an older drug, Baclofen, which has showed much aid in severe gastrointestinal issues, a true core issue in Autism and one that many patients developed after the MMR vaccine: Effect of the GABAB agonist baclofen in patients with symptoms and duodeno-gastro-oesophageal reflux refractory to proton pump inhibitors