Researchers Reverse Autism In Mice With Specific Genetic Defect

BOSTON (CBS) - About seven-percent of autism cases have been linked to genetic abnormalities. Now researchers in the United Kingdom have been able to reverse a specific form of genetic autism in mice, promising for a subset of people with autism who are missing a piece of chromosome 16.

Researchers found that certain drugs designed to fight cancer were able to reverse the autism symptoms in the affected mice by blocking a particular protein from reaching the brain.

The hope is that these drugs could be used to treat children with this chromosomal abnormality soon after birth and to even treat adults with this form of genetic autism.

In:
• Autism