The When and Where: Molecular and Cellular Convergence in Autism

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly heritable neurodevelopmental condition that is among the most devastating disorders of childhood in terms of prevalence, morbidity, outcome, impact on the family, and cost to society. As a result, a great deal of scientific effort has been devoted to finding common biological substrates for ASD, but the genetic underpinnings and cellular mechanisms of this disorder remain poorly understood. Historically, this obstacle has stemmed from limited access to human neural tissue, a poor understanding of the temporal dynamics of ASD, and a lack of methods to connect combinatorial patterns of genetic mutations to disease phenotypes.
Source: Biological Psychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Commentary Source Type: research