Autism's Missing Puzzle Piece?
While many are pointing the finger at vaccines, scientists and researchers are still looking at the genetic connection with autism. According to The Vancouver Sun , A gene that helps the brain make connections may underlie a significant number of autism cases, researchers in the United States reported on Tuesday. Disruptions in the gene, called contactin 4, stop the gene from working properly and appear to stop the brain from making proper networks, the researchers reported in the Journal of Medical Genetics. These disruptions, in which the child has either three copies of the gene or just one copy when two copies is normal, could account for up to 2.5 percent of autism cases, said Dr. Eli Hatchwell of Stony Brook University Medical Center in New York, who led the study. "That is a significant number," said Hatchwell. I realize 2.5% doesn't sound like very much. I also realize that it will take a much larger number to grab the attention of those who think otherw...