New developments in the causes of autism

Abnormalities in brain development may lead to autism and other behavioural disorders, researchers at the University of Edinburgh and Northwestern University, US, have shown. The work has implications in the future treatment of autism as has identified key windows when therapeutic intervention would be most effective.Fragile X syndrome is a genetic condition that is currently the main known cause of autism. It affects approximately one in 4000 males and one in 8000 females worldwide, and causes social, language and behavioural problems. Research has found that a mistiming of brain development in Fragile X syndrome may lead to miscommunication between brain cells.Published in the journal Neuron, this study used a mouse model of Fragile X to examine the development of the regions of the brain responsible for processing sensory information. "We've learned that changes in the brains of Fragile X mice happen much earlier than previously thought" says Professor Peter Kind who led the study. He believes that the changes found in this region of the brain may also occur in other regions, thus explaining the wide range of symptoms in Fragile X syndrome.