Studies Explore Gene Mutations in Autism

Changes (mutations) in genes that affect only a child, not the parents, may account for some cases of autism, 3 new studies find. The changes occur in the sperm or egg around the time the child is conceived. Fathers are 4 times as likely to pass on these mutations as mothers, 1 study found. This occurred most often with fathers age 35 or older. Three different teams of researchers did the studies. They took a close look at the DNA in blood samples from families that included a child with autism. Neither the parents nor the other children were affected. The 3 studies included a total of 549 families. In all, hundreds of mutations were found in the autistic children and not in their parents or siblings. Most occurred in only 1 child. But mutations in some genes were found in multiple children and in 2 or more of the studies.