Deletions Within Certain Chromosome Can Lead to Autism Development
We are closer to determining the true genetic causes of autism
While it can be difficult to reveal the actual percentage of autism associated with 22q11.2, the study reveals clues as to how one out of four areas within 22q11.2 varies and how it is particularly linked to autism. “This study by Schultz and colleagues elegantly addresses that knowledge gap,” said Noboru Hiroi, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Furthermore, the notion that the three genes - PRODH, COMT, and RANBP1- are associated with autism makes sense. The next step would be to replicate the discoveries in a larger population sample. If confirmed, they could reveal the mechanisms associated with autism, as well as how genes within the region trigger autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions.
