New research suggests that genes linked with a greater risk of developing autism may also be associated with higher intelligence.

Researchers at the Universities of Edinburgh and Queensland have discovered new evidence linking genetic factors associated with autism to better cognitive ability in people who do not have the condition. They found that even among people who never develop autism, carrying genetic traits associated with the disorder is, on average, linked to scoring slightly better on cognitive tests

Autism is a developmental disability that can cause significant language and speech difficulties. Non-verbal intelligence enables people to solve complex problems using visual and hands-on reasoning skills requiring little or no use of language.

"Our findings show that genetic variation which increases risk for autism is associated with better cognitive ability in non-autistic individuals," Dr. Toni-Kim Clarke, who led the study, said in a statement. "As we begin to understand how genetic variants associated with autism impact brain function, we may begin to further understand the nature of autistic intelligence."

For the study, researchers analyzed nearly 10,000 people recruited from the general population of Scotland. Individuals were tested for general cognitive ability and had their DNA analyzed.

They found further evidence of a link between autism-associated genes and intelligence when they carried out the same tests on 921 adolescents who were part of the Brisbane Adolescent Twin Study.

The findings are detailed in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.