Autism Genes Tied To Glitches In Early Learning

Some cases of autism may be a failure of the young brain to wire itself properly in response to a baby’s social and physical surroundings, according to a new systematic analysis of disease genetics. The newfound mutations may interfere with the brain’s ability to create the connections normally sculpted by a child’s early experiences, report HMS researchers and their international collaborators in the July 11 Science. The data correspond to the clinical onset and spectrum of autism symptoms, said co–first author Eric Morrow, HMS instructor in psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital. “Autism emerges in the first three years of life, during which time synapses mature in response to experience,” Morrow said. “Autism is not a single disorder. At least a significant subset appears to be various disorders—dozens if not... [read full story]