Autism risk assessment in siblings of affected children using sex-specific genetic scores.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The inheritance pattern in most cases of autism is complex. The risk of autism is increased in siblings of children with autism and previous studies have indicated that the level of risk can be further identified by the accumulation of multiple susceptibility single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) allowing for the identification of a higher-risk subgroup among siblings. As a result of the sex difference in the prevalence of autism, we explored the potential for identifying sex-specific autism susceptibility SNPs in siblings of children with autism and the ability to develop a sex-specific risk assessment genetic scoring system.

Methods

SNPs were chosen from genes known to be associated with autism. These markers were evaluated using an exploratory sample of 480 fa

SUBMITTER: Carayol J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3214848 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature