At a gene level, CAM genes associated in all three samples (NRXN1 and CNTNAP2), which were previously implicated in specific language disorder, autism and schizophrenia.
We have screened the families of the Collaborative Linkage Study of Autism for several markers spanning a candidate region covering approximately 2 Mb and including the Angelman syndrome gene (UBE3A) and a cluster of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA(A)) receptor subunit genes (GABRB3, GABRA5, and GABRG3).
We replicated and extended a previously reported association between autism severity and a functional polymorphism in the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) promoter region, MAOA-uVNTR, in a sample of 119 males, aged 2-13 years, with autism spectrum disorder from simplex families.
We identified a common polymorphism in contactin-associated protein-like 2 (CNTNAP2), a member of the neurexin superfamily, that is significantly associated with autism susceptibility.
We review the scanty literature data on the association of Cowden syndrome and autism and emphasize that the association of progressive macrocephaly and pervasive developmental disorder seems to be an indication for screening for PTEN mutations.
In this study we genotyped the MAOA promoter polymorphism in a group of 29 males (age 2-3 years) with autism and a group of 39 healthy pediatric controls for whom brain MRI data was available.
Previously, we have screened autism probands for mutations in regions of the FMR1 gene downstream of the [CGG] repeat and identified an intronic variant in the FMR1 gene, IVS10 + 14C-T, which was present at a significantly higher frequency in autistic individuals compared to controls individuals.
Using combined behavioral, electrophysiological, biochemical, imaging, and molecular approaches, we find that Shank3-deficient mice exhibit autism-like social deficits and repetitive behaviors, as well as the significantly diminished NMDA receptor (NMDAR) synaptic function and synaptic distribution in prefrontal cortex.