Re: Study: Rare gene change linked to autism

[Guest guest]

Study: Rare gene change linked to autism

By LINDA A. JOHNSON

ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/health/1500ap_autism_gene.html

A rare genetic variation dramatically raises the risk of developing

autism, a large study showed, opening new research targets for better

understanding the disorder and for treating it.

Research into the causes of autism has focused on genetic causes

because so many families have multiple children with the disorder.

Thus far, only about 10 percent of autism cases have a known genetic

cause. Boston-area researchers estimate the gene glitch they've

identified accounts for another 1 percent of cases.

They found a segment of a chromosome which has genes linked to brain

development and various developmental disorders was either missing or

duplicated far more often in autistic people. The defect was inherited

in some cases, but more often the result of a random genetic accident.

The results from the Autism Consortium study, released online

Wednesday by the New England Journal of Medicine, confirm those of

smaller studies by U.S. and Canadian research groups in the past

year. The consortium verified its findings by checking two other DNA

databases.

" They really did nail it, " said Dr. Zimmerman, director of the

Kennedy Krieger Institute's Center for Autism & Related Disorders in

Baltimore, who was not involved in the research.

He predicted children newly diagnosed with autism or other

developmental disorders now will be tested for this defect on

chromosome 16 and that studies of many more DNA samples may reveal

other autism-related gene variations.

Already, the findings are starting to be used to give some parents

long-sought answers to burning questions: What caused autism in their

child and how likely is it that any future children also would have

autism, long known to run in families?

" We've provided very compelling evidence that this particular small

stretch of the genome provides an important clue to the biological

roots of autism, " said lead researcher Mark J. Daly, an assistant

genetics professor at Harvard Medical School and an investigator for

the consortium, which includes researchers from 14 Boston-area

universities and medical centers.

When the biological pathways involved are figured out, scientists can

try to design drugs to target chemicals in the brain to treat autism,

said Geraldine Dawson, chief science officer of the advocacy group

Autism Speaks.

" I think chromosome 16 is now going to be a hotbed for autism

research, " said Lehner, head of the genomic research branch at

the National Institute of Mental Health. " It gives us a very important

lead. "

Another study researcher, Dr. of Children's Hospital

Boston, said the chromosome 16 variations increased the risk of

autism a hundredfold. But he said the disorder must be due to a

combination of genetic variations since there were cases of people

who had the defect but didn't have autism.

Autism, a complex, poorly understood disorder, is characterized by

repetitive behaviors and poor social interaction and communication

skills. Research has mainly centered on genetic causes, and on

whether it could be caused by the mercury-based preservative once

used in childhood vaccines, which has been repeatedly discounted.

The number of children diagnosed with autism has risen in recent

years to as many as one in 150 American children, but experts are

unsure whether its prevalence really is increasing or the trend is

due to a broader definition of autism.

For their study, consortium researchers scanned all 46 chromosomes

from DNA samples from 1,441 children with autism or related

disorders. They also scanned DNA from most of their parents and 2,800

other people, none known to have autism.

The researchers found a 25-gene segment of chromosome 16 was missing

in five children with autism; none of their parents had the deletion.

That shows that in some cases the genetic glitch is not inherited from

the parents, but instead due to a random accident while an egg or

sperm is being formed.

Another seven autistic children had a chromosome 16 duplication, but

all but one had parents with the same duplication.

The researchers confirmed their findings by looking at DNA databases

from Children's Hospital Boston and Iceland. The same defect was

found in 1 percent of those with autism or related disorders. It was

found in just seven of about 19,000 Iceland samples from people

without the disorder.

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[Guest guest]

I am not against genetic research, although I think research should expand

beyond just genetics, but al this hoopla is about - one percent of autism

cases - ...yippy!

Also, the usual question is " how can they explain the explosion of autism

if it is only genetic?

Another thing: how do you explain all the children that have been recovered

without gene therapy?

Study: Rare gene change linked to autism

>

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080109/ap_on_he_me/autism_gene;_ylt=AjvyK6Tw5ZeLaTb\

lS24Pg32s0NUE

>

>

>

> Texas Autism Advocacy

> www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org

>

> Texas Disability Network

> Calendar of Events

> www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org

>

[Guest guest]

There is another theory that children who are genetically predisposed

and do not receive oxytocin from their mother at birth, show autism.

Oxytocin is the love hormone. Supposedly, there is not an autistic

child anywhere born through a midwife, as all are natural childbirth

oxytocin.

>

> I am not against genetic research, although I think research should

expand

> beyond just genetics, but al this hoopla is about - one percent of

autism

> cases - ...yippy!

>

> Also, the usual question is " how can they explain the explosion of

autism

> if it is only genetic?

>

> Another thing: how do you explain all the children that have been

recovered

> without gene therapy?

>

>

> Study: Rare gene change linked to

autism

>

>

> >

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080109/ap_on_he_me/autism_gene;_ylt=AjvyK

6Tw5ZeLaTblS24Pg32s0NUE

> >

> >

> >

> > Texas Autism Advocacy

> > www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org

> >

> > Texas Disability Network

> > Calendar of Events

> > www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org

> >

[Guest guest]

interesting about the love hormone... i remember when nolan was born a couple of

nurses telling me to put him against my bare skin because babies have a better

chance of healing faster (no matter what the issues) when there is skin to skin

contact between baby and mother but not so with the father. they were always

walking around saying skin to skin to the moms.

Cookie wrote: There is another theory that

children who are genetically predisposed

and do not receive oxytocin from their mother at birth, show autism.

Oxytocin is the love hormone. Supposedly, there is not an autistic

child anywhere born through a midwife, as all are natural childbirth

oxytocin.

>

> I am not against genetic research, although I think research should

expand

> beyond just genetics, but al this hoopla is about - one percent of

autism

> cases - ...yippy!

>

> Also, the usual question is " how can they explain the explosion of

autism

> if it is only genetic?

>

> Another thing: how do you explain all the children that have been

recovered

> without gene therapy?

>

>

> Study: Rare gene change linked to

autism

>

>

> >

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080109/ap_on_he_me/autism_gene;_ylt=AjvyK

6Tw5ZeLaTblS24Pg32s0NUE

> >

> >

> >

> > Texas Autism Advocacy

> > www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org

> >

> > Texas Disability Network

> > Calendar of Events

> > www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org

> >

[Guest guest]

I know one.

Sent via BlackBerry by AT & T

Re: Study: Rare gene change linked to autism

There is another theory that children who are genetically predisposed

and do not receive oxytocin from their mother at birth, show autism.

Oxytocin is the love hormone. Supposedly, there is not an autistic

child anywhere born through a midwife, as all are natural childbirth

oxytocin.

>

> I am not against genetic research, although I think research should

expand

> beyond just genetics, but al this hoopla is about - one percent of

autism

> cases - ...yippy!

>

> Also, the usual question is " how can they explain the explosion of

autism

> if it is only genetic?

>

> Another thing: how do you explain all the children that have been

recovered

> without gene therapy?

>

>

> Study: Rare gene change linked to

autism

>

>

> >

http://news.

<http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080109/ap_on_he_me/autism_gene;_ylt=AjvyK>

yahoo.com/s/ap/20080109/ap_on_he_me/autism_gene;_ylt=AjvyK

6Tw5ZeLaTblS24Pg32s0NUE

> >

> >

> >

> > Texas Autism Advocacy

> > www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org

> >

> > Texas Disability Network

> > Calendar of Events

> > www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org

> >

[Guest guest]

My nephew was born via midwife through total natural childbirth and

has severe autism.

> >

> > I am not against genetic research, although I think research

should

> expand

> > beyond just genetics, but al this hoopla is about - one percent

of

> autism

> > cases - ...yippy!

> >

> > Also, the usual question is " how can they explain the

explosion of

> autism

> > if it is only genetic?

> >

> > Another thing: how do you explain all the children that have

been

> recovered

> > without gene therapy?

> >

> >

> > Study: Rare gene change linked

to

> autism

> >

> >

> > >

> http://news.

<http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080109/ap_on_he_me/autism_gene;_ylt=Ajv

yK> yahoo.com/s/ap/20080109/ap_on_he_me/autism_gene;_ylt=AjvyK

> 6Tw5ZeLaTblS24Pg32s0NUE

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > Texas Autism Advocacy

> > > www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org

> > >

> > > Texas Disability Network

> > > Calendar of Events

> > > www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org

> > >

[Guest guest]

Mine was born completely natural (not planned) but still has an

autism spectrum disorder.

-- In Texas-Autism-Advocacy , " Cookie "

wrote:

>

> There is another theory that children who are genetically

predisposed

> and do not receive oxytocin from their mother at birth, show

autism.

> Oxytocin is the love hormone. Supposedly, there is not an autistic

> child anywhere born through a midwife, as all are natural

childbirth

> oxytocin.

>

>

> >

> > I am not against genetic research, although I think research

should

> expand

> > beyond just genetics, but al this hoopla is about - one percent

of

> autism

> > cases - ...yippy!

> >

> > Also, the usual question is " how can they explain the explosion

of

> autism

> > if it is only genetic?

> >

> > Another thing: how do you explain all the children that have

been

> recovered

> > without gene therapy?

> >

> >

> > Study: Rare gene change linked

to

> autism

> >

> >

> > >

>

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080109/ap_on_he_me/autism_gene;_ylt=AjvyK

> 6Tw5ZeLaTblS24Pg32s0NUE

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > Texas Autism Advocacy

> > > www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org

> > >

> > > Texas Disability Network

> > > Calendar of Events

> > > www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org

> > >

[Guest guest]

My son with autism was born with a midwife with no drugs

administered during birth. He had some other issues--

similar to what his paternal grandfather had at birth.

I think if his paternal grandfather had received the same

Vaccinations as my son, he would have been fully autistic

As opposed to just having some Asperger's personality type.

S.

Re: Study: Rare gene change linked to

autism

There is another theory that children who are genetically predisposed

and do not receive oxytocin from their mother at birth, show autism.

Oxytocin is the love hormone. Supposedly, there is not an autistic

child anywhere born through a midwife, as all are natural childbirth

oxytocin.