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Written By: Agencies | Published : April 8, 2015 11:13 AM IST
Autism is developmental disorder where the normal functioning of the brain is disrupted early during developmental stages of the foetus. Scientists for long now have tried to design methods to treat autism. A breakthrough research carried out by Argentinian scientists has led a way to design new treatments for the Autism Spectrum Disorder. Scientists have discovered a gene mutation that causes Autism.
A three-member team of researchers sequenced and decoded for the first time in Argentina the complete genome of three patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and epilepsy and discovered the genetic mutation that causes the disorders. The researchers studied the case of three brothers who suffer from autism, representing 'an infrequent form of familial ASD'. (Read: Art Based Therapy for autistic children how it heals)
The scientists included team leader and neurologist Marcelo Kauffman, chemist Adrian Turjanski and molecular biologist Martin Vazquez, from Argentina's National Council for Scientific and Technical Research, state-run 'Xinhua' news agency reported. (Read: Can lowering inflammation in the brain treat autism?)
The study 'opens possibilities for research into treatments of Autism Spectrum Disorder, which is characterised by reduced social skills, repetitive behaviour, behavioural disorders, a severe lack of language development and other clinical symptoms,' said Kauffman.'While there is no known specific treatment for SHANK3 (gene) defects, there are treatments in the research phase that, once approved, could benefit these and other patients in the future,'Kauffman added. (Read: Real life stories and struggles of children with autism)
The findings were published in the journal PLOS ONE.
Source: PTI
Image source: Getty Images
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