Research Fails to Find Autism Genes

[adreno]

A large group of collaborating scientists used data from the Simons Simplex Collection, a project that extensively characterized 2576 autism simplex families, the largest such cohort amassed to date and for which the data is now available in a permanent repository.

The availability of this vast collection allowed the researchers to create phenotypic subgroups. In addition to the whole sample, this resulted in 11 subgroups of patients with similar diagnostic, IQ and symptom profiles. They then analyzed the genotypic data in an attempt to discover common genetic variants that confer risk for autism spectrum disorder.

Their results did not identify any genome-wide significant associations in the overall sample or in the phenotypic subgroups. This means that the extreme clinical variability observed among patients with autism spectrum disorder does not closely reflect common genetic variation.

"This study did not provide good evidence that selecting patients with similar symptoms results in a greater ability to find autism genes," said Dr. John Krystal, Editor of Biological Psychiatry. "This might suggest that some of the clinical variability in autism arises from causes other than genetic vulnerability, such as epigenetic changes or other responses to the environment."

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-04/e-its042015.php

 

[PeterPositive]

To be honest I was not expecting otherwise.

 

[natasa778]

"This might suggest that some of the clinical variability in autism arises from causes other than genetic vulnerability, such as epigenetic changes or other responses to the environment."

No sht Sherlock!!

The amount of money Simons Foundation has wasted over the years on autism genetic research is absolutely sickening! We are talking many, many millions each year, for very many years...

They have been huffing and puffing at that house in desperation but it just won't come down. Let's see if a small detail like this above actually makes them reconsider and divert the money to more useful things that could actually lead to treatment/s and prevention. One can only hope...

 

[Sidereal]

If 1% of the money wasted on genetic research were spent on microbiome studies we'd be a lot closer to the truth.

 

[Beyond]

Yeah, not that there is that whole much to do with genetic tests at this point of time, despite what some that are making big bucks want us to believe. I agree that scientists and health professionals should spend that time and resources in treatment and investigation of causes instead.

Illnesses occur because genetics meet x factors and guess what, genetics is what cannot be changed, but these factors do!! Like aluminum salts in the staggering amount of vaccines kids get...

 

[cmt12]

Illnesses occur because genetics meet x factors and guess what, genetics is what cannot be changed, but these factors do!! Like aluminum salts in the staggering amount of vaccines kids get...

Heavy metals, vaccines, Lyme, stress, etc: these aren't x factors for chronic illnesses. They are irritants that have the potential to stimulate the real x factor. Absent the real x factor, these irritants would have no lasting negative effects.

It's like having a thorn stuck in your skin and blaming the resulting pain and infection on the wind or someone brushing up against it. If you aren't aware of the thorn, then you will inevitably assume the irritant is the root cause.

 

[natasa778]

Illnesses occur because genetics meet x factors and guess what, genetics is what cannot be changed, but these factors do!!

Well actually that is not quite correct as in the case of (mono)genetic factors which are identified, and whose mechanisms are known it can be possible to intercept and correct the faulty gene product or whatever crucial downstream consequences, and when you have a treatment to correct bad genetics who cares if you cannot change the code itself So saying that something is automatically untreatable because it is genetic in origin is a false argument, it does not hold water

(related to this see article I just posted on another thread pointing to possible novel way of correcting faulty gene function - still in infancy but fascinating proof of principle stuff)

 

[Beyond]

I was referring to the "chronic" and "autoimmune" illness that have started to pop up the last century/decades. Everyone knows about genetic syndromes and such. Of course is crucial for these people to find out the faulty genes. Its not the same for us. Our type of illness is a mix up of genetic predispotition and the x factors I talked about, which range from stress to infections.

I mean only scientists care about what genes make us prone to autoimmunity, we care about what triggered the autoimmunity/immune pathology, which invariably is some sort of gut dysfunction, hormonal imbalances, strong toxin, stress or infections.

When we are at a point when they can "correct" DNA then it will be meaningful, in the mean time we have to deal with the immune-disturbing elements and situations.