A team of international scientists have found 10 genes with high levels of mutations which they believe could lead to intellectual disabilities including autism. <\/p>\n
Professor of Human Genetics at the University of Adelaide, Dr Jozef Gecz, said the landmark study was essentially looking for patterns and genetic mutations. <\/p>\n
\"This work really maps a map of a human genome, starting from about 29,000 children with these disabilities, and about 20,000 controls,\" he said. <\/p>\n
The team, including scientists from Australia, set out to find genetic mutations that lead to common intellectual disabilities, including autism and language problems. <\/p>\n
\"We look at the differences which are consistent, and of course, statistically, mathematically, significant,\" Professor Gecz said. <\/p>\n
\"And then the group at the University of Washington in Seattle actually interrogates a selected number of genes, in this case about 26, for next level possible mutations, to see whether there were differences.\" <\/p>\n
The team found 10 genes with high levels of mutations, which they believe could lead to intellectual disabilities that present differently in each case. <\/p>\n
\"What it tells us is that these genes for autism, learning disability, and perhaps some of the psychiatric problems, or behavioural problems, are actually the same - they just may present in different individuals as an almost different disease,\" Professor Gecz said. <\/p>\n
The findings could lead to better screening for learning disorders, and hopefully one day, treatment. <\/p>\n
\"That's what we're hoping for, that's really our aim in the long run,\" he said. <\/p>\n
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\nScientists discover genetic link to autism, developmental disorders<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"