Autism is a debilitating condition that is poorly understood and badly managed. However, inroads are being made into its understanding.
Scientists have new reason to believe that autism is linked to around 100 genes. The study has also shown that autism is more common in today's world than previously thought - and also more complex as a disease.
Victims will often have missing sections of DNA, or copies of existing DNA. It affects 1 in 150 children, and is considered genetic. No one knows yet for sure what causes the disease, but good progress is being made.
SampleSymptoms of the disease include difficulties in behavior, social interaction, inability to think correctly or speak, and more serious things that severely debilitate the victim. The effects of autism are so variant that mapping the exact cause to the disease is tough work. Years have study have shown that exposing radiation to cells will produce similar effects as autism would on a cellular structure- suggesting cell mutation.
Normal diseases that are genetic will show that other family members have the same genetic pattern concerning the disease- not true with autism. About 2 out of 14 autism victims have relatives with the disease, which is a significant number.
The disease itself is very mysterious, and something that will only be unravelled in time. Things are still at a relatively early stage of development and more time and scientific energy will be needed before the picture is fully understood. Researchers hope to make a breakthrough soon after mapping the human genome.