Autism Symptoms leading to boys chromosome

UCLA scientists pinpoint region of autism gene on chromosome 17 Geneaffects boys only -- May explain autism's low incidence ingirls*CONTEXT*Autism is a complex disease caused by the interaction of multiplegenes and environmental influences. As a result, scientists' previousattempts to locate a genetic risk factor have proved inconclusive. Noresearchers have been able to pinpoint a predisposing gene and thenduplicate their efforts – a key piece of proof required forscientific validity. *FINDINGS*For the first time, a team of UCLA geneticists have isolated thelikely region of an autism gene on chromosome 17 and thensuccessfully duplicated their efforts in a separate population. In anearlier discovery, the scientists were surprised to find that the genecontributes to autism only in boys, perhaps explaining why girls havea dramatically lower risk of developing the disease. *IMPACT*After twice linking the risk gene to band 17Q21, the UCLA team is nowconducting DNA testing to identify the precise site on the chromosome,which will bring them closer to finding the gene mutation. This is thefirst step to providing better screening and potential treatments forautism. *AUTHORS*Dr. Dan Geschwind, associate professor of neurology; Rita Cantor,adjunct professor of human genetics; Stan Nelson, professor of humangenetics; Jennifer Stone, graduate student researcher, at the DavidGeffen School of Medicine at UCLA. *JOURNAL*The American Journal of Human Genetics, June 2005