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      Searching for ways out of the autism maze: genetic, epigenetic and environmental clues.

      1 , 2
      Trends in neurosciences
      Elsevier BV

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          Abstract

          Our understanding of human disorders that affect higher cognitive functions has greatly advanced in recent decades, and over 20 genes associated with non-syndromic mental retardation have been identified during the past 15 years. However, proteins encoded by "cognition genes" have such diverse neurodevelopmental functions that delineating specific pathogenetic pathways still poses a tremendous challenge. In this review, we summarize genetic, epigenetic and environmental contributions to neurodevelopmental alterations that either cause or confer vulnerability to autism, a disease primarily affecting social cognition. Taken together, these results begin to provide a unifying view of complex pathogenetic pathways that are likely to lead to autism spectrum disorders through altered neurite morphology, synaptogenesis and cell migration. This review is part of the INMED/TINS special issue "Nature and nurture in brain development and neurological disorders", based on presentations at the annual INMED/TINS symposium (http://inmednet.com/).

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          Author and article information

          Journal
          Trends Neurosci
          Trends in neurosciences
          Elsevier BV
          0166-2236
          0166-2236
          Jul 2006
          : 29
          : 7
          Affiliations
          [1 ] Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry and Neurogenetics, University 'Campus Bio-Medico', Via Longoni 83, I-00155, Rome, Italy; IRCCS 'Fondazione Santa Lucia', Department of Experimental Neurosciences, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64/65, I-00143, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: a.persico@unicampus.it.
          [2 ] Laboratory of Human Genetics and Cognitive Functions, Institut Pasteur, 25 Rue du Docteur Roux 75015, Paris, France; University Paris VII, 2 Place Jussieu 75013, Paris, France.
          Article
          S0166-2236(06)00111-1
          10.1016/j.tins.2006.05.010
          16808981
          55abe175-eafb-4aae-ac45-11c18b6342eb
          History

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