A New study funded by the NIMH, National Institute of Mental Health has found a possible genetic link between autism and heart disease. Although these two conditions affect different parts of the body, they often occur together, suggesting they may have some similar biological roots. Researched from UC San Diego, UC San Fransisco, and Yale University analyzed massive amount of genetic data using a specific method called ‘network propagation’. Instead of studying one gene at a time, they looked at how groups of genes interact with each other (their network). The research concluded the connection with over 100 genes that couple both autism and heart disease, suggesting overlap between the genetic mechanism that occur in your brain and heart during development.
To solidify their findings, the researchers ran experiments on Xenopus tropicalis, an often used frog species in biological research. When they disrupted the shared gene, they observed both developmental problems in the brain AND the heart. One gene in particular SCN2A, which helps regulates ion flow in cells, appeared to influence early on set organ formation as well. By studying genetic networks as a whole, rather than focusing on individual genes, researched may be closer to understanding why some disorders overlap each other and possibly how to prevent or treat them!
