Turner Syndrome Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Turner Syndrome, including details on symptoms, causes, chromosomes, prognosis.

Imbalanced genomic imprinting in brain development: an evolutionary basis for the aetiology of autism.

Badcock C, Crespi B

Department of Sociology, London School of Economics, London, UK.

We describe a new hypothesis for the development of autism, that it is driven by imbalances in brain development involving enhanced effects of paternally expressed imprinted genes, deficits of effects from maternally expressed genes, or both. This hypothesis is supported by: (1) the strong genomic-imprinting component to the genetic and developmental mechanisms of autism, Angelman syndrome, Rett syndrome and Turner syndrome; (2) the core behavioural features of autism, such as self-focused behaviour, altered social interactions and language, and enhanced spatial and mechanistic cognition and abilities, and (3) the degree to which relevant brain functions and structures are altered in autism and related disorders. The imprinted brain theory of autism has important implications for understanding the genetic, epigenetic, neurological and cognitive bases of autism, as ultimately due to imbalances in the outcomes of intragenomic conflict between effects of maternally vs. paternally expressed genes.

Published 19 June 2006 in J Evol Biol, 19(4): 1007-32.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2005-2008 Turner Syndrome Research Today. All Rights Reserved.