The Promise of Genetics and Autism

The Autism Genome Project announced the discovery of several new genes that are implicated in autism. The genes implicated in autism affect individuals in very different ways. Some genes change the balance of gray and white matter in our brains whereas others affect the way our brain cells signal each other or even the rate at which our brains grow and develop. The biological causes of disability in each case are not the same. It is becoming evident that autism is a catchall phrase for a number of brain differences that happen to look similar when seen from the outside.

A huge step has been made in learning that certain genetic defects cause profound autistic disability. The goal now is to learn how to help the affected population. Thus far, damaged genetic data can not be repaired. The biggest complication is that there are many different genetic problems to accommodate. Even though they produce a similar outcome - autism - they work in very different ways at a biological level. There is no such thing as a single "autism gene." Rather, there are many genes that push toward autistic outcomes when they go wrong.

This means tens or even a hundreds of different treatment strategies must be developed to address the multitude of genetic errors that lead to autism. Genetic testing may allow for babies to be identified with genetic defects that can lead to autism before their brains have developed on the autistic pathway. If interceded early enough, there is a chance autism can be avoided in those children.



This article explains clearly the importance in understanding that autism is a broad disorder that affects the human population in a large range of ways. It is very useful for researchers to understand that no one gene triggers the onset of autism. Advances in scientific genetic research can help improve the lives of today's autistic population, and the unborn population to come.