Over 1,000 genes implicated in autism

(ANSA) - Turin, January 28 - Over 1,000 genes are implicated in autism, an international study including a Turin university and hospital and the university of Siena has shown.
    The study ws conducted on some 35,000 people by the bodies, including Turin's Città della Salute Hospital.
    The study was published in the journal Cell.
    The data "is just the tip of the iceberg" said Alfredo Brusco of the Città della Salute Hospital.
    "We are working," he said, "on new genes associated with the autistic spectrum disorder, which we are actively studying at the medical science departments of the university and the hospital." He said "the majority of these heterogeneous diseases are probably associated with various variants in genes that are important for neurological development, and which become pathologies when combined together".
    Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by difficulties with social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior.
    Parents often notice signs during the first three years of their child's life.
    These signs often develop gradually, though some children with autism experience worsening in their communication and social skills after reaching developmental milestones at a normal pace.
    Autism is associated with a combination of genetic and environmental factors.