This article was about how there is strong evidence that a genetic component increases the likelihood of autism. In a study of more than 10000 children of which 4500 were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, a common genetic variation was found that increased the risk of a child developing autism, along with rare genetic changes that contribute to some cases of autism.
The actual genetic pathway has not been found yet, but studies have come up with some possible genetic pathways that may be responsible for increased risk of autism. A study found that a particular genetic variation, found on a cluster between CDH10 and CDH9, is commonly found in children with autism. Another study also found that deleted or duplicated genes along two major central nervous system gene networks in children with autism spectrum disorders. These changes were located on the ubiquitin pathway, which regulates synaptic operations and nervous system development. Research is still underway to test the effects of the missing or extra genetic copies to see if it in any way relates to an increased risk of autism. Also, geneticists from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), believe they have detected a genetic pathway that is responsible for neurological development, learning and memory, which plays a significant role in the genetic risk of autism.
The research into possible genes causing a higher risk in genetic autism is very important since it may reveal what goes wrong during development in children with autism and will enable scientists to focus on what the cause of autism is at the molecular level.
Link to article: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/147997.php
By Tiffany Hoang (4203673)
