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| Autism and Environmental Factors
 Evidence from many studies suggests that inherited
factors are largely responsible for the occurrence of autism related disorders. However, it is
equally clear that genetics cannot fully account for the development of autism.
The current theory among autism genetics researchers supports the idea of "complex" inheritance.
This means that multiple genetic factors are likely to be involved, and may predispose an individual
to develop autism. This theory also includes a role for environmental factors. In addition to having
the right combination of autism-related genes, exposure to certain environmental factors might be
necessary for autism to develop in some individuals. For instance, if one version of a gene makes
an individual susceptible to a particular chemical, exposure to that chemical could trigger autism to
develop. By focusing on the study of genetic factors and determining their underlying mechanisms,
researchers may be better able to pinpoint environmental factors that contribute to autism.
This web site is a resource for those interested in better understanding the advances in genetic
research that are being made for autism and related disorders.
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STUDY: AUTISM RISE FROM LABELING, NOT EPIDEMIC
A rise in autism cases is not evidence of a feared epidemic but reflects that schools are diagnosing autism more frequently, a study said Monday. More ...
SCANS SHOW DIFFERENT GROWTH FOR INTELLIGENT BRAINS
The brains of highly intelligent children develop in a different pattern from those with more average abilities, researchers have found after analyzing a series of imaging scans collected over 17 years. More ...
RESEARCHERS: INFANTS BEGIN LEARNING LANGUAGE AS EARLY AS 10 MONTHS
Infants are listening and learning their first words as young as 10 months, but they are only learning the words for objects that are of interest to them, not for objects of interest to the speaker, according to researchers at Temple University, University of Delaware and University of Evansville. More ...
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