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(Iowa City, IA) -- University of Iowa researchers are announcing a study of genetic data from nearly 43,000 autistic individuals and their families has identified 60 autism spectrum-associated genes with exome-wide significance. Among the findings, five new genes not previously implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders.
University of Iowa scientists led by Jake Michaelson, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry in the UI Carver College of Medicine, contributed to the new study, which was published recently in Nature Genetics.
“We’re really excited about this study because it sheds light on how genes are influencing the brain over a wider band of the autism spectrum,” says Michaelson, who also is a Roy J. Carver Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience and a member of the Iowa Neuroscience Institute.
This study focused on rare genetic variations that are inherited by the child with autism from a parent who does not have autism.
“We found that these inherited variants are less associated with intellectual disability, and they expand our view of what developmental mechanisms are being impacted in autism,” Michaelson says. “Ultimately this knowledge will help us better understand subtypes of autism that each have different support, resource, and treatment need
Michaelson says humans have around 20,000 genes and research has shown about 200 are linked to autism
He also says many Iowa families have participated the SPARK study, and are welcome to join the study at any time.