Scientists have long believed that siblings born with ASD share more of their mother's genome than their father's. But US researchers have turned the autism spectrum disorder genetics scenario upside down.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) scientists showed that in many cases it is the father who can play a large genetic role. The study was published in the journal Cell Genomics.
Autism spectrum disorders encompass a range of neurological and developmental disorders. They can influence how a person communicates, socializes, learns and behaves. ASD can also manifest as repetitive behaviors or limited interests.
Over the past two decades, CSHL scientists have made a multi-million dollar effort to uncover the genetic origin of autism. They found thousands of genes that can be damaged in a child with ASD. But their work could not account for all cases of ASD.
In the present study, scientists analyzed the genomes of more than 6,000 families of volunteers. They found that in families where there are two or more children with ASD, siblings share more of the father's genome. Meanwhile, in families where only one sibling had ASD, the children had less of the father's common genome. While the discovery reveals a new potential source of ASD, it also raises a provocative question. Can other disorders play by the same genetic rules?
No one knows exactly how the father's genome affects children with ASD. But scientists have some interesting ideas. They believe that some fathers may be carriers of protective mutations that are not inherited. Or fathers can pass on mutations that cause the mother's immune system to attack the developing embryo. Both theories offer hope to parents of children with ASD and other neurological disorders.
In addition, this study offers useful tools for educators and therapists —Earlier diagnosis and better general understanding of autism.