RECENT GENETIC RESEARCH and RELEVANCE TO ABA
ATAC'S OBSERVATIONS UPON RESEARCH BREAKTHROUGH IN THE GENETICS OF AUTISM
1.The research gives us a better understanding of autism being a spectrum of many
different but related disorders. Only about 20% of the genes involved have
been identified, with many more to be tracked down, and it is already clear that autism
will express itself differently where different genes are involved. This explains the
wide divergences in the spectrum, and is the reasons why each affected person
preservable.
2.The nature of these genes is that they are autosomnal recessive � that is in, both
parents must carry the gene, but that for a child to become autistic, the child must
inherit both recessive genes. This explains why not all children in a family are affected.
The research also finds that each affected family can have a different expression of
autism, depending on exactly which genes are involved.
3. Nearly all the genes involved are those associated with early learning, and the way
this early learning in the first year or two of life shapes the development of the
brain in the areas of communication and social development. These genes, in other
words, are those involved in experience based education. Furthermore, it is the
on/off switch for these genes that is affected, with the gene itself present on the
chromosome, but inert and not functioning.
4.The cause of autism can be a combination of genes that express differently, depending
on the nature of each gene inherited from the parents. However, no matter the way in
which autism is expressed, it is overwhelmingly caused by the same problem, that is,
the inability to 'switch on' the gene. In other words, the faulty switching mechanism
that lies on the chromosome does not trigger the gene, and normal development of the
brain does not occur. This understanding completely undermines the theory that
because autism is expressed so differently, different therapies need to be used to
address the variation found on the spectrum. Rather, it validates the use of intensive
behavioural therapy [ABA] because this therapy is an alternate way in which the
synapses affected by the genetic fault can be stimulated. In other words, intensive
behavioural therapy creates new pathways by activating the synapses, and bypassing
the inert, dormant on/off switches lying on the chromosome. Furthermore, through the
standardised testing and frequent periodic re-testing of each individual receiving
therapy via reputable programmes, ABA is able to pin point those areas where
stimulation is needed.
5.The research found that one gene had itself mutated, viz the gene that associates
autism and seizures. It also posits total deletion and partial deletion of other genes
that are connected with autism. In these areas, the research states that future gene
therapy will be the only answer to cure autism.
6. This recent research throws new light upon the original research of Lovaas which was reported in
1987, and since replicated by many others, which shows that ABA through its
programmes can get approximately 47% of autistic children to the stage where they
are indistinguishable from other children in school, that it can get another 40% to
make significant advances, while only about 10% make little progress. Those who progress
furthest will be those who have no mutated or deleted genes. It further appears to us
that all who make only significant progress will be those who have some deleted or
mutated genes, but many other genes, because of the complexity of each individual
case, that can be switched on through therapy. It is the other 10% who will need gene
therapy.
7. The future for people on the autistic spectrum becomes more clear as a result of this
ground-breaking research. It may be possible to find drugs that will switch on the
affected areas. It well may be that when this is combined with ABA it will shorten the
time needed to activate the synapses and accelerate the process of evidence-based
learning. For those with mutated or deleted genes, there is now a possibility in the
future, that as the affected genes are discovered, that gene therapy will be able to
replace what has been damaged or lost.
.Links: [Including links to relevant articles]
There are numerous good press releases on these findings, and the following link will take you to a wide selection of these articles. Links to further articles for those who would like to follow
this research up in more detail are also provided.