1 in 100 with extreme male brain?

So how many of us are wandering around with an 'extreme male brain'?

A study of over 57,000 carried out in London and published in The Lancet has suggested that far more children may have autism or a similar disorder than previously believed — as many as 1%: one child in 100. The current evidence is that these children are three times more likely to be boys than girls.

Why? The answer might lie is research published last year which suggested that autism was the result of an an 'exaggeration' of the normal male brain. The Cambridge Autism Research called this the 'extreme male brain' explanation for autism.

Put simply, boys' brains grow more quickly than girls' and in the brains of people with autism, this growth more extreme.

There are also differences in certain areas of the brain. The amygdala, for example, which is involved in emotional responses, is particularly large in toddlers with autism - another exaggeration of typical male brain development.

The researchers believe that these brain development patterns are effected by exposure to male hormones, such as testosterone, before birth. (This could affect female foetuses too as they have testosterone in their adrenal glands.)

Autism and other conditions such as Asperger's Syndrome affect communication, imagination and the way an individual interacts with others. Whether the increase in numbers is down to better diagnosis or some other change is unclear but one thing is certain: services for people with autism need to be improved.

Last year, the National Autistic Society Autism Helpline received 35,600 calls from individuals with autism and their families, many of whom are unable to access the services they require.

Mike Collins, NAS Head of Education, says: 'This research underlines the importance of appropriate services for individuals with autism. Current provision for those with the disability is deeply inadequate given the scale of the need. Government and local authorities must ensure that education, health and social services are adequately funded and all staff appropriately trained in order to meet the needs of those living with the disability and their families.'