MarieMarie
Some kind of aspie, perhaps, maybe?
This doesn't mean much practical ATM. They've discovered a bunch of risk genes for autism, meaning they each increase your risk. The more of these gene variants someone has, the more likely they are to have autism.
These genes typically do stuff in the brain. Seems logical. So maybe eventually they'll discover more about how autism works - and how the NT brain works, it goes both ways.
This article is pretty technical. Probably there will soon be articles out that are an easier read (though also of course less exact).
NIH Director's Blog: Largest-Ever Genetic Study of Autism Yields New Insights
"The 102 new genes fell primarily into one of two categories. Many play a role in the brain’s neural connections. The rest are involved primarily in switching other genes on and off in brain development. Interestingly, they are expressed both in excitatory neurons, which are active in sending signals in the brain, and in inhibitory neurons that squelch such activity. Many of these genes are also commonly expressed in the brain’s cerebral cortex, the outermost part of the brain that is responsible for many complex behaviors.
Overall, these findings underscore that ASD truly does exist on a spectrum. Indeed, there are many molecular paths to this disorder. The ASC researchers continue to collect samples, so we can expect this list of 102 genes will continue to expand in the future.
With these gene discoveries in hand, the researchers will now also turn their attention to unravelling additional details about how these genes function in the brain. The hope is that this growing list of genes will converge on a smaller number of important molecular pathways, pointing the way to new and more precise ways of treating ASD in all its complexity."
These genes typically do stuff in the brain. Seems logical. So maybe eventually they'll discover more about how autism works - and how the NT brain works, it goes both ways.
This article is pretty technical. Probably there will soon be articles out that are an easier read (though also of course less exact).
NIH Director's Blog: Largest-Ever Genetic Study of Autism Yields New Insights
"The 102 new genes fell primarily into one of two categories. Many play a role in the brain’s neural connections. The rest are involved primarily in switching other genes on and off in brain development. Interestingly, they are expressed both in excitatory neurons, which are active in sending signals in the brain, and in inhibitory neurons that squelch such activity. Many of these genes are also commonly expressed in the brain’s cerebral cortex, the outermost part of the brain that is responsible for many complex behaviors.
Overall, these findings underscore that ASD truly does exist on a spectrum. Indeed, there are many molecular paths to this disorder. The ASC researchers continue to collect samples, so we can expect this list of 102 genes will continue to expand in the future.
With these gene discoveries in hand, the researchers will now also turn their attention to unravelling additional details about how these genes function in the brain. The hope is that this growing list of genes will converge on a smaller number of important molecular pathways, pointing the way to new and more precise ways of treating ASD in all its complexity."
