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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A new screening technique may be useful in identifying chromosomal abnormalities associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).
ASDs are increasingly linked and associated with genetic abnormalities. By screening for genetic defects, doctors may be able to better identify the underlying causes of some ASDs.
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Researchers at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York studied a new method of investigating DNA called multiplex ligation-dependant probe amplification (MLPA). MLPA is a relatively practical, inexpensive and fast tool for screening chromosome rearrangements in autism spectrum disorders, Joseph Buxbaum, Ph.D., researcher at Mount Sinai School or Medicine, was quoted as saying.
Dr. Buxbaum and his team used MLPA on 279 children with an ASD, looking for abnormalities associated with cognitive impairment. The researchers were not only able to efficiently find genetic abnormalities; they also uncovered new genetic changes that could potentially be linked to ASDs.
Although there is no known cure for ASDs, early detection and intervention have been shown to lessen negative symptoms associated with the disorders.
SOURCE: BMC Medical Genomics, 2008,1:50
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