Study brings grasp of autism gene a ‘step closer’Ben-Gurion University researchers hope new understanding of genetic basis of autism will lead to earlier diagnosis
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The researchers found that autism genes have the distinct characteristic of being exceptionally long, longer than other brain genes including those of closely related illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia.
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Additionally, the researchers found that the negative selection process in these genes was more active than in other genes. Negative selection is an evolutionary process that removes disruptive mutations from genes over generations.
Menashe and his colleagues also searched for evidence of positive selection in these genes — to see if the body believes that autism could be actually beneficial to the body and therefore justifies the presence of autism in the human population. However, no indications of positive selection acting on autism genes were found.
Thus, the researchers believe that autism susceptibility mutations manage to survive in the human genome not because of a faulty negative selection process or the presence of a positive selection process. Rather, they probably survive because autism is created not just in the gene but in combination with other genetic and/or non-genetic or environmental factors, like the age of the mother or other external reasons.
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“Self Acceptance is a process not a performance”
“You are autistic enough. And you always have been”
Professionally Identified and joined WP August 26, 2013
DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity.
28 Sep 2016, 2:11 am
