Study links autism and learning disabilities to creative thinking - Individuals suffering from autism show higher degree of creativity, according to a new study.

Scientists found that individuals with autism were very likely to think up unique answers to innovative problems, in spite of the fact that they possess traits which can be socially crippling. It can also make it quite difficult to look for jobs.

According to the study co-author Dr Catherine Best from the University of Stirling, though the findings of the study conducted on 312 people took into account only one side of the creative process, it showed an association between original ideas and autistic traits.

She said "We speculate that it may be because they are approaching things very differently. It goes a way towards explaining how some people with what is often characterised as a disability exhibit superior creative talents in some domains."

Autism is a disorder, transforming the way they experience and connect with the world, differing from person to person.

Jolanta Lasota, chief executive of the charity Ambitious about Autism said: "There are many misconceptions and myths about autism, the biggest one including being antisocial and having a lack of empathy. However, what people with autism struggle with is fitting their feelings of sympathy and caring into everyday interactions."

The study findings have been published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.