Genome-wide approach identifies new autism risk genes

Researchers from Princeton University (NJ, USA) and Simons Foundation (NY, USA) have developed a new technique for a genome-wide approach to identifying genes involved in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The machine-learning approach has now raised the number of genes predicted to be involved in ASD from 65 to 2500. At present, only 65 autism genes have been identified via sequencing studies, despite estimates predicting this number to actually be between 400 and 1000 genes. Due to the complexity of the disorder, sequencing studies are suggested to be inadequate to uncover the full genetic basis of ASD. In the new study,...