ReviewCurrent opinion in neurology2013
Sex differences in autism spectrum disorders.
Review in Current opinion in neurology, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 619 papers, 8 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
619 citing papers in PubMed, 8 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 1,227 citations in OpenAlex.
- Does the Extreme Male Brain Hypothesis of Autism Apply More to Females Than Males? A Systematic and Meta-Analytic Approach.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research · 2026Pooled it
- Early-Life Microbiome and Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Current neuropharmacology · 2026Pooled it
- Sex-dependent vulnerability to early-life phthalates exposure and autism spectrum disorders: a systematic review.Frontiers in child and adolescent psychiatry · 2026Pooled it
- The effects of virtual reality interventions on outcomes related to well-being among autistic children: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Pooled it
- Eye Tracking as a Treatment Monitoring Tool for Autism: A Multilevel Meta-Analysis.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research · 2025Pooled it
- Association between maternal asthma and ASD/ADHD in offspring: A meta-analysis based on observational studies.NPJ primary care respiratory medicine · 2025Pooled it
- Uncovering convergence and divergence between autism and schizophrenia using genomic tools and patients' neurons.Molecular psychiatry · 2025Pooled it
- Using photovoice to engage underserved children with neurodevelopmental disorders and their caregivers in health research: a mixed methods systematic review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences · 2025Pooled it
- Effects of a Nonwearable Digital Therapeutic Intervention on Preschoolers With Autism Spectrum Disorder in China: Open-Label Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of medical Internet research · 2023Trial
- The impact of probiotic treatment on sex-specific behavioral differences in valproic acid-induced autism animal model.Brain, behavior, & immunity - health · 2026Article
- Homozygous CHD8 mutation intensifies ASD phenotypes and attenuates sex differences.Molecular psychiatry · 2026Article
- Clinical Profile of First-Time Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder in School-Aged Youth.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Sexual dimorphism of autism-like phenotypes in microglial eIF4E overexpression mice.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- What Factors Have Been the Most Helpful and Harmful and When? Identifying Key Impacts on Psychosocial Development According to Autistic Adults and Caregivers.Journal of autism and developmental disorders · 2026Article
- Novel CTNNB1 Gene Variants in Spanish CTNNB1 Syndrome Patients: Clinical and Psychological Manifestations.Journal of autism and developmental disorders · 2026Article
- Sterol pathway disruption in pregnancy: a link to autism.Molecular psychiatry · 2026Article
- Cerebellar Contributions to Cerebral Connectivity in Severe Mental Illness: A Developmental Cascade and Predictive-Modeling Framework with Autistic Disorder as the Focal Case.Brain sciences · 2026Review
- Risk Factors for Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Middle East and North Africa Region: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Confounder-Adjusted Studies.Journal of autism and developmental disorders · 2026Article
- An Electroencephalographic Study of Sleep Spindle and Infraslow Oscillation in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of sleep research · 2026Article
- Autism Symptom Presentation and Hierarchical Models of Intelligence.Journal of autism and developmental disorders · 2026Article
559 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors at 1 institution in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
purpose of reviewA strong male bias in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalence has been observed with striking consistency, but no mechanism has yet to definitively account for this sex difference. This review explores the current status of epidemiological, genetic, and neuroendocrinological work addressing ASD prevalence and liability in males and females, so as to frame the major issues necessary to pursue a more complete understanding of the biological basis for sex-differential risk. RECENT
findingsRecent studies continue to report a male bias in ASD prevalence, but also suggest that sex differences in phenotypic presentation, including fewer restricted and repetitive behaviors and externalizing behavioral problems in females, may contribute to this bias. Genetic studies demonstrate that females are protected from the effects of heritable and de-novo ASD risk variants, and compelling work suggests that sex chromosomal genes and/or sex hormones, especially testosterone, may modulate the effects of genetic variation on the presentation of an autistic phenotype. SUMMARY: ASDs affect females less frequently than males, and several sex-differential genetic and hormonal factors may contribute. Future work to determine the mechanisms by which these factors confer risk and protection to males and females is essential.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.