Common genetic variants shape the structure of the cortex
A genome-wide association study lays a foundation for deeper investigation of these variants in neurodevelopmental conditions.
A genome-wide association study lays a foundation for deeper investigation of these variants in neurodevelopmental conditions.
An imbalance in the number of excitatory neurons in early brain development may account for the difference.
The variants are associated with slight differences in measures of intelligence, income and employment, but the relationship may not be causal.
Experiments offer clues to why certain mutations are associated with autism in some people and not others.
Within the 16p region of the genome, the two types of variants similarly decrease neuronal gene expression — an effect that may reflect their spatial relationship.
The study also reveals a link between language development and common variants.
Common variants in five regions of the genome may determine whether someone has one condition versus the other.
Women who carry genetic variants tied to autism have an elevated chance of experiencing pregnancy-related events linked to the condition in their children.
Siblings of autistic females are more likely to have autism than siblings of autistic males are, and mothers of autistic children carry more common, autism-linked variants than fathers do.
Different combinations of common, rare, inherited and spontaneous mutations may explain why traits vary so widely among autistic people.