Fighting Autism reports there are 1,479 documented cases of autism in Alabama. Others claim as many as one percent of all children have autism.
Three studies published in the 9 June issue of Neuron indicate that autism is a result of spontaneous genetic mutations.
The consensus of the results indicates that autism is a highly genetically diverse disorder that can result from mutations at hundreds of different sites in the human genome.
The mutations are not independent but affect a common molecular network primarily related to synapse development, axon targeting and neuron mobility.
The studies were based on the Simons Simplex Collection (SSC) that comprises families with unaffected parents, unaffected siblings, and one autistic child.
"Mutations that produce extra copies of this region, called 7q11.23, are associated with autism spectrum disorders."
The research has narrowed down the potential sites of mutation to 4 or 6 that show the greatest potential for producing mutations that cause autism.
Genetic mutations are the cause of autism. External causes of these mutations are not a factor according to the research. The mutations that cause autism are a result of the randomness of genetics.
The research is the result of several years of analysis by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York led by Michael Wigler, a consortium of researchers at multiple institutions, headed by Matthew State at Yale University, and a team headed by Dennis Vitkup of Columbia University.
The research was reviewed at the Eureka Alert web site on June 8, 2011.
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