Many years of research has shown that males are at a greater risk for neurodevlopental disorders like autism spectrum disorder (ADS) than females. Also, studies have shown that boys on average are five times more likely to have autism than girls. A recently published article by Carl Engelking clarifies why genetics can explain why this is so. According to
geneticists in the U.S and in Switzerland, it has something to do with “female
protective model.” This means that females have a higher tolerance of harmful
genetic mutations causing them to require a larger number of them to reach a diagnostic threshold of a
developmental disorder than males do. So, with identical mutations a male could
show symptoms of ASD while a female won’t. However, since the female mutation threshold
is higher, when they are diagnosed with ASD it tends to be more severe.
Geneticists
analyzed the DNA samples of 16,000 boys and girls who had neurodevelopmental
disorders. They found that on average girls with ASD had a 1.3-3 times
more harmful genetic alterations than boys. The researchers had suggested that
the male brain develops smaller than that of a female so it more subtle genetic
changes can trigger ASD. Study author Sebastien Jacuemont of University hospital of Lausanne in Switzerland also studied 800 families in which a family member was affected by ASD. He found
that children were more likely to inherit gene mutations from their mothers. The
reason for this was because males with autism are less sociable and form less relationships
so they are less likely to have children. Whereas females can go unnoticed with
the genetic glitches and so in turn are more likely to start a family.
Although the study did not answer the most profound question, “what causes these disorders,” geneticists are still on the lookout for more insight to answer this question.
Although the study did not answer the most profound question, “what causes these disorders,” geneticists are still on the lookout for more insight to answer this question.
This blog is extremely interesting. I actually never heard this topic being discussed, but I have met more autistic little boys than girls. Smaller brain development in males allowing a trigger for ASD doesn't quite make sense to me. I've been reading up more on the conclusion that autism is more likely inherited from their mother and I have yet to find any good, reliable articles on that part of the study.
ReplyDeleteThis article makes sense in the context of you see more boys than girls with Autism. I used to volunteer for years at a therapeutic riding center and looking back, we had more autistic male students than we did autistic females. Our two most severe autistic students were both male however. This disagrees with the above study. I agree with Nicole, that boys having a smaller brain development seems odd. I think there needs to a follow up study conducted. It seems like saying that girls with autistic DNA are more likely to have kids is more of an assumption than a proven fact.
ReplyDeleteThis is a first for me and I must say I have never really noticed this. The article does make it easy for people to get the idea of how it occurs in boys rather than girls.
ReplyDelete