Mutations and Autism: New Study

A just released study suggests that some cases of autism occur when certain genes in parents are damaged.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• autism
• pdd
• asperger
• genes
• dna
• mutation
• hunter

[csillag4]

My female friend is 44 and has an older brother with Asperger's syndrome. She just got pregnant. At 44, she surely has DNA damage to her eggs. So she has an increased risk for an autistic child for 2 reasons. I wonder if the mutations that are described in the article would be testable by amnio. DO you know ? Thx

[atwhite57]

I'm not sure the correlation with maternal age is that strong. Genetic test can only detect chromosomal abnormalities which account for about 5% of the cases. Other test have to await better genetic understanding. She should have amniocentesis to look for the usual problems.

[robinhannum]

Hi, my name is Robin Hannum my son is 14 and was diagnosed with Aspergers when he was 3. I appreciate this video because we don't really have any reason why he may have autism. Although I have been told that when there is a family history of bipolar or depression a child shows up with adhd or autism. My son has the autism and my niece has adhd. Plus my son has been diagnosed with adhd and bipolar and oppositional difiance disorder.

[atwhite57]

Hi Robin. It sounds like your family may have some of the genetic predispositions, much like my family. I hope your son is doing okay.

[fastj999]

Being someone who fits in to this category of developmental disorder I think I should tell you: 1/4 way through the video I was only able to focus on the dry/wet sound of your mouth and the coughing. I didn't get much. But I'll watch it again :) Thanks for posting.

[atwhite57]

I agree that it is very distracting. Thankfully I am over that cough. Also the quality of the video sucks, something I am working on to improve in my videos.

[ebaymamaqueen]

i come from a family of 'autistic type people', but we are not 'impaired' in any way. most of us are science majors, mathematics majors, logistics (me, and i am a female), or psychiatry. both of my girls are on the spectrum. eldest has aspergers but super high iq and youngest is at risk but normalizing and amazing the doctors. they feel she is more advanced than my eldest. autism is not all that bad and is over dramatized, but for us it is normal.

[DChatc]

I think AS is an inheritable trait and that it's phenotype is expressed in the family history, such as nocturnal tendencies and active immune activity (indicative of overall alertness), and social awkwardness and alloofness due to a shrunken mid-brain, which permits AND demands the prominence of the cerebral cortex  (AS appears be the phenotype of engineers, architects, technicians, scientists and theoreticians - craftsmen and organizers basically).

[therawofrain]

hi. my cousin has autism. but he has a sister and a brother that dont ? if there is damage to the genetics, shouldnt his brother and sister have autism as well ?

[icecreamandsingasong]

like in a few ages ago we thougth thunder was something so creepy it was the devil or a god now we know why and so it is with autism but still the thúnder and autism is there now we accept that it is that way and stays. and that it is something logical autism more advanced logical

[icecreamandsingasong]

we will never learn what autism is and why because it is so complicated and not trackable because non autistiscs (study pro's) are not that deep and they want to know things NOW instead autie's who are focussed relaxed and stay longer with the problem.. in 2000 years we know what exactly in the brain is going on but it is not what it is all about, thats another lesson

[icecreamandsingasong]

I mean a direction who is not relevant in the whole (evolution/philosofy) picture

[icecreamandsingasong]

yes that is what I mean it is what you make from it. born in the right place makes autism normal if you fight it (you make a problem of it) then it is a problem its just the way you perceive

[icecreamandsingasong]

studies are not smart but lead us to a small direction

[NadezhdaRozagy1]

man, you have Asperger's! Hunter's dad, it's so obvious! You're one of us, man! R u scared to come out? lots of famous artists and musicians recently had come out that they have Asperger's but I know, stigma still exists and ppl - adults who are successful in life- are scared that if they come out they'll be taken less seriously. I know, I was diagnosed aged 36. I'm 38 now and had 2 years of sheer hell from health professionals (not who dxed me) who changed attitude since my dx cause they judged

[dangerbird89]

asperger isnt a disease because people who have it are smarter, faster, stronger.