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Article: Contributing gene finally found.(Autism)
- Article from:
- USA TODAY
- Article date:
- February 1, 2005
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Society for the Advancement of Education. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Scientific research has discovered that a specific gene contributes to autism and that autistic people have fewer receptors for the brain messenger acetylcholine, as well as more tightly packed columns of neurons in the cerebral cortex. Another study found that autistic children were less able to discriminate similar sounds than were other youngsters. The research is providing new clues to the genetic, neurological, and molecular basis of this still mysterious disease.
Autism is a disorder that affects two to six of every 1,000 children--mostly boys. It actually encompasses a wide array of symptoms--called autism spectrum disorder (ASD)--including various degrees ...