The amygdala, the area of the brain that is associated with social and behavioral defects in people with autism, is where the PCDH10 gene is expressed. It is not yet known how PCDH10 affects social behavior, however.
This article interested me because my brother is on the autism spectrum. I always knew I wanted to go into medicine, but after receiving his diagnosis I was inspired to pursue neurology.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/315514.php
http://www.genecards.org/cgi-bin/carddisp.pl?gene=PCDH10
Autism research is something really special to me too. I am dumbfounded by the alarming rate at which autism is rising. There are still many mysteries around autism, so any step at all is a step in the right direction. Genetics research, like this study you have found, can open many doors and facilitate the daily struggles of people with autism.
ReplyDeleteI think that is so touching that your sibling had such an impact and I wish you the best in pursuing your career choice. After hearing of so many new cases of autistic children, I agree that this can really jump-start new research to hopefully find treatments and cures for those effected by autism.
ReplyDeleteI love this. My brother is also Autistic, so whenever I read news about methods to help cope with the disorder, I get excited and hopeful. I am pursuing my degree because of my brother as well.
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