Aptos, CA psychologist: Avoidance of social interactions & compulsive repetative behaviors — common autistic traits — replicated in mice by mutating shank3 gene may lead to drugs to treat autism
Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011Probably there are multiple genes and multiple avenues for the development of autistic traits in children. There is recent news that one particular gene — the shank3 gene — may be responsible.
Some children strongly avoid social interactions (they arch their back & look away) as infants. Other children develop normally only to suddenly lose all language and social interests typically around the age of 18-24 months. Fascinating, about one quarter of U.S. children who meet criteria for a diagnosis of autism at age 3 will “shed” that diagnosis before they reach adulthood.
So, one wonders whether a single gene is responsible for such wide variations in how autistic behaviors are expressed during a child’s development. See below what scientists say about the shank3 gene. (more…)
