Random changes in genes, rather than changes handed down from
parents, may be responsible for some cases of autism, say
scientists who report in three new papers a major breakthrough
in understanding where those genetic changes may lie. The
findings suggest that autism is a genetically complex disorder,
involving perhaps hundreds of spontaneous changes in genes. The
discoveries should help researchers gain a better understanding
of the biology of the disorder and find targets for better
treatments. It’s latest in a steady stream of good news from
autism researchers recently, who have reported on innovative
ways to diagnose the disorder earlier (as we reported here, here
and here) and on new genes that contribute to it (which we
described here). (More on TIME.com: Health Checkup: Kids and
Mental Health) For the new studies, published in the journal
Neuron, researchers focused on about 1,000 families in which
only one child was affected with autism. Much of the past
research on the genetic roots of autism has l