Four New Autism Research Findings
With 1 in 68 children being diagnosed with autism, what are some of the latest research findings on autism? What are some of the interventions that might be effective in children with autism? Take a look as Dr. Martha Burns explores 4 new research findings on autism.
1. Autism is in the Genes
One of the most exciting recent developments in ASD research stems from large, genome-wide studies that have identified genes and genetic mutations that may contribute to ASD. Two such studies have uncovered 60 genes that have a greater than 90 percent chance of contributing to ASD among 500 or more genes associated with ASDs overall [Ronemus et al, (2014) Nature Reviews Genetics 15, 133-141]. More investigation is needed to dig deeper into the roles of these genes and how they affect the developing brain, but those data are emerging.