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The Autism Genome Project – Shedding Light Towards Cure
Christopher Wen
Defined Tag: Autism Genome Project.
What is Autism?
Dr. Leo Kenner first coined the word “autism” for a certain condition that was still vague at the time in 1943. Through the years, studies continue, aiming to penetrate what really causes it and how it can be cured. But what's the autism genome project?
Today, autism is defined as an omnipresent development disorder of the human brain. It can be distinguished as a person having severe disability of interacting socially and communicating his thoughts with other people.
The condition can be seen before a person turns three. It exhibits limited and constant repetitive behavior.
Genome Projects
The term genome is a scientific attempt, ultimately aiming to find out the complete sequence of the genome of an organism, whether it be animals, or plants, even virus or bacterium.
For each genome sequence of an organism, the DNA sequences for every chromosome should be decided. Humans have 22 pairs of chromosomes, plus two sex chromosomes, meaning that in order to view the complete genome sequence of a human being, it will involve 24 distinguished chromosome sequences.
The Autism Genome Project
In 2002, scientists and researchers worldwide come together to study, compare and share samples that they have, data that they have gathered and each expertise to aid in the classification of autism susceptibility genes.
The people who attended and become involved in the project are members of an autism genetics consortium called the Autism Genome Project or the AGP. The Autism Speaks and the U.S. National Institutes of Health funded the said assembly.
In this convention, the common genetic variants on humans, which are conceived to be related with autism and other known disorders were discovered. The copy number variations or CNVs are exactly what these scientists from the Autism Genome Project were in the lookout for in their DNA scans of people with autism.
The results of this assembly were published in Nature Genetics’ online edition on February 18. It is now believed that the glutamate neurotransmitter system of the human brain plays a pivotal role in wiring up the brain in a child’s early development. Hence, autism is said to be a faulty wiring, a genetic blueprint gone wrong in this neurotransmitter system.
The Autism Genome Project also found out that clues linking autism and the sites of genes for what is so called the neurexins or the molecules that compose the glutamate synapses, or the telecommunication device in the brain cells.
A human genome can sometimes have submicroscopic anomalies, a bit deletion, or multiplying of genetic material samples. These are not always harmful. But the research found out that these so-called anomalies may contribute, if not cause autism.
It has already been more than 50 years since autism was first identified. Since then, it has become a medical mystery. At some point, even the parents were blamed for this condition in their children. It is to their relief that studies continue, proving that there is a deeper cause for this type of disorder.
The Autism Genome Project hopes to continue the development in technology and research to find more information and valuable clues as to genetic information being linked with autism. In the end, they are hopeful that it will allow them to form some kind of medical treatments for people who are affected with the disorder.
Christopher Wen is the webmaster for green Health Children where he provides articles, news, and information on children toys, health, and education.
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