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The world's largest autism genome database shines new light on many 'autisms'
The newest study out of the Autism Speaks MSSNG project – the world's largest autism genome sequencing program – identified an additional 18 gene variations that appear to increase the risk of autism. The new report appears this week in the journal Nature Neuroscience. It involved the analysis of 5,205 whole genomes from families affected by autism – making it the largest whole genome study of autism to date.
[...] To date, research using the MSSNG genomic database has identified 61 genetic variations that affect autism risk. The research has associated several of these with additional medical conditions that often accompany autism. The goal, Dr. Pletcher says, "is to advance personalized treatments for autism by deepening our understanding of the condition's many subtypes." The findings also illustrate how whole genome sequencing can guide medical care today. For example, at least two of the autism-associated gene changes described in the new paper are also associated with seizures. Another has been linked to increased risk for cardiac defects, and yet another with adult diabetes. These findings illustrate how whole genome sequencing for autism can provide additional medical guidance to individuals, families and their physicians, the investigators say.
Found at ScienceDaily.
Whole genome sequencing resource identifies 18 new candidate genes for autism spectrum disorder (DOI: 10.1038/nn.4524) (DX)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 08 2017, @05:28PM
Anti-vaxxer. Now that is one incredibly ironic pejorative! I imagine you chose that to maintain some modicum of decorum - certainly better than calling me a poopy face. In reality anti-vaxxers suffer from the same bad science that genetics (and many other purely correlational fields) thrive on. The anti vax movement came not from good science but from an observation in a correlation between vaccines and autism. The author of the paper used the same weak language used in genetics suggesting it was just a link and worthy of further investigation, but as with genetics there is always the implication that they don't think its just spurious. That is the same thing genetics is doing except instead of breeding mass hysteria it's breeding hopes (or fears) that we're entering into an age of genetic cures, enhancements, and general improvement of the human condition. We're not. And this is happening at a time when the intermingling of private interest and public science has left the public turning against both. Continuing to pretend we're not suggesting causation in these sort of fields, as a sort of disclaimer in the fine print, is not going to lead to good things.