Science Reveals Genes That Help Drive Dyslexia

 

Dyslexia is a learning disorder that involves difficulty reading due to problems decoding words and identifying speech sounds. Symptoms of dyslexia include; late talking, learning new words slowly, reading below the expected level for their grade, and more. There is no cure for dyslexia however parental support and tutoring at school can help the child to read better. Science has been studying what genes drive dyslexia. Researchers have begun to pinpoint specific genes responsible for the disorder. The findings show that common genetic differences have the same effect on both genders. Also, there is a linkage between dyslexia and ambidexterity. The results also showed that dyslexia is very closely genetically related to performance on reading and spelling tests. To determine these conclusions, the researchers tested millions of genes and genetic variants and found 42 significant variants. Many of the genetic variants that were linked to dyslexia were also linked to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The study also found that several genetic variants were associated with the same symptoms of dyslexia in different languages, such as Chinese. This was the largest genetic study on dyslexia and is a great start at determining the specific genetic markers for the learning disorder. 

Genes linked to learning disorders

 Dyslexia is a type of intellectual disability that affects one's reading and writing skills. Diagnosed individuals may struggle processing sounds, spelling, and transferring information from written to spoken form and vice versa. This not only interferes with academic success, but also with day to day life reading signs or writing emails. It appears to be a hereditary disorder, but until recently, there was not anymore information about the cause.

Michelle Luciano and her team at the University of Edinburgh sought to find more concrete genetic causes for dyslexia. They conducted a study that compared the genomes of over a million people to see if there were noticeable difference between those with dyslexia and those without. They were able to find 42 variants that were significantly found much more in those with dyslexia. There did not appear to be any difference in these variants between sexes, ages, or ethnicity. These traits seem to only have small effects when acting alone which is common for polygenic traits - implying that the genetic basis of dyslexia is very complex. 

I think this research is both fascinating and important. Learning more about the genetic causes for intellectual disorders could ultimately help mend the academic gap that many students find themselves in. Often times the school does not have the resources or training to properly accommodate students with learning disabilities. As a result there academic progress slows down or get put on hold and the older a student gets, the harder it is to catch back up. However, if we are able to prescreen embryos and babies for things like dyslexia, we could immediately implement the techniques need to limit the effect on their reading and writing. Focusing on it from a young age will make them more likely for success in secondary and higher education.

Genes Identified That may be Linked to Dyslexia

 For millions of Americans, dyslexia has been a major threat to everyday life. Dyslexia is a condition in which reading and spelling is difficult. But according to an article, researchers believe that they have identified the genes that are responsible for this condition. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Australia, the U.S. company 23andMe Inc, and the University of Edinburgh had conducted one of the largest genetic studies recorded on dyslexia. Scientists had records from 50,000 adults who suffer from the condition and about 1 million adults that don’t have the disease, and found that 42 of the genes were significant in regards to language delay and others for critical thinking skills, both of which play a major role in harming an individual’s academic performance. 

After reading this article, I believe that more research needs to be done in regards to what genes are exactly responsible for dyslexia. I believe this because the original article that was found only stated that they found the genes responsible and did not go into detail about how they conducted their research. This was interesting to learn about so I'm hoping more research can be done so individuals can learn more about dyslexia and how it comes about whether its a genetic factor or happens in while the individual develops.

42 Gene Variants Possibly Linked to Dyslexia

 

A recent article by News Scientist reports that a genetic study regarding dyslexia has identified 42 genetic variants that may be linked to a person's chance of having dyslexia. Michelle Luciana from the University of Edinburgh in the UK conducted a genome-wide study with a sample size of 1.1 million adults. Of those 1.1 million adults that were in the study, 51,000 of them stated that they had been diagnosed with dyslexia. The scientists scanned markers across the sets of genomes of the sample size to identify any variations associated with a particular trait. They identified 42 genetic markers that differed between a participant without dyslexia and a participant with dyslexia. Based on the results, the more markers, or variants, that were identified in an individual, the higher chance they had of having dyslexia. Around one-third of the 42 genetic variants had been previously linked to having conditions, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, while others were more novel, and were associated with things, such as being ambidextrous or pain threshold. It was stated that the 42 genetic variations may not cause dyslexia in an individual, but it would make it more likely to have it when combined with other environmental factors.

Dyslexia, or developmental dyslexia, is a learning disorder that causes difficulties with reading due to issues with identifying speech sounds and learning how those sounds relate to letters and words. They show difficulty in fluent word recognition, reading comprehension, and spelling. Although dyslexia has a 40-60% hereditary rate, the heritability remains unexplained in large parts, due to multiple genes and environmental factors playing a role.

I find it amazing how we are able to pinpoint certain genes that affect the chances of having certain mental and physical disorders. As was stated in the News Scientist article, with the ability to determine the chances of having dyslexia, or any disorder for that matter, we can better help individuals, such as children, with learning in a way that better suits their learning style. I find it amazing how far science has come, to be able to scan the genome and determine certain characteristics.

Autism on Campus

   

     "Autism affects the brain's early development of social and communication skills." Although Autism affects the brain is does not end the ability to attend college. The number of Autistic students have spiked since 1990. This spike was possibly due to the programs most schools offer. Most schools offer help with dyslexia and Attention Deficit Disorders, and most recently with Autism. This program helps Autistic students graduate, and get through their classes. In order to partake in this program, there are academic requirements.
     A fear many people have is that in the middle of class or an exam that an autistic student might blurt out an answer or have an issue. What worries most colleges is the social aspect as well as the academic. Most Autistic students are excited to attend college but some are also not aware of the social aspect of it. One student said, "She liked college because she heard they don't get bullied there."
    Autism comes in many different forms, but the possibility of everyone attending college despite any condition.

Link:http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/20/health/autism-spectrum-college.html

Developmental Problems in Genes

A recent study done by scientists based in Oxford, Bologna and Utrecht looked into the genomic characterization and DNA sequencing of a family with two rare microdeletions, in CNTNAP5 and DOCK4. This family has several members that have been diagnosed with autism, dyslexia, and/or learning or social difficulties and it is believed that these microdeletions may have led to these disorders. DNA is unique for each individual which means that it may contain variants that differ from the general population. Some of these varations are referred to as genetic deletions, this is when a section of DNA ‘code’ is missing. These missing codes have significant effects on how the gene functions and may contribute to diseases.

After looking at the genomic characterization if was found that the CNTNAP5 deletion segregated with autism and the DOCK4 deletion was found in individuals without autism yet present in those with reading difficulties. "This report provides further evidence linking CNTNAP genes with autism, one of the most promising gene families in autism research," commented Dr. John Krystal, Editor of Biological Psychiatry. It also sheds light on how complex the connection between genes and syndromes can be. Multiple rare genomic variants within a single family just might lead to the variable phenotypes phenotypes associated with autism.

I feel that research in the spectrum of autism is great thing because the disorder has become so vast that more details can only benefit the treatment of those who are diagnosed. By finding out the specific microdeletions effect on the human body can be detrimental the prevention and diagnoses of the disorder in the future. Knowing that CNTNAP5 is closely related to other genes that may influence vulnerability to autism and that DOCK4 may be involved in the growth and development of the brains nerve cells can give way to research that will help better understand the mechanisms behind these neurological disorders and brain development. The authors of this study have noted that additional studies to confirm these associations are already underway.

Article Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100817103344.htm

Related Link: http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/CNTNAP2

Dyslexia hurting auditory processing?

It was found that dyslexic members of a Finnish family had copies of ROBO1 that hardly functioned. Previous studies have shown that animals with dysfunctional ROBO1 had issues with neural midline crossings. Scientists had used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to quantify how well the auditory pathways were functioning. They had found that those crossings were weakened for those carrying the ROBO1 gene linked to dyslexia. Knowing that about 10 percent of the population is affected by dyslexia, this calls for some concern. The weaker the expression of the gene, the more abnormal the sensory function gets.