Midwest Education Law

In June, we reported on a groundbreaking study on the possible genetic causes of autism.  Another recent scientific paper, published in the Archives of General Psychiatry and reported in this month's issue of Scientifc American, suggests further evidence of a genetic marker for autism might be found through studying hereditary "oculomotor deficits" (eye movement disorders) that appear with statistically significant frequency in close relatives to those with autism.  These deficits are subtle, often asymptomatic and not clinically remarkable, but as the study reports, seem to provide some further indication of a genetic component to autism.

Amid the confusing flood of competing, sometimes controversial (or even dubious) theories on the causes of autism and autism spectrum disorders, comes a recent study published earlier this month by scientists working as part of the Autism Genome Project ("AGP").  The study, which has received surprisingly little attention outside the scientific and medical communities, appears in the June 9, 2010 issue of the journal Nature.  Although there has been speculation regarding whether, or to what extent, genetics might play a role in autism, the AGP study actually found rare, specific genetic variants that appear to be associated with autism spectrum disorders.  Many experts believe this could lead to objective diagnostic tools and even potential avenues of treatment.  The term "groundbreaking" is often too loosely applied, but here we think it is apt.  For anyone interested in this subject, this is a development we will continue to follow closely.