The frequency of polymorphisms in maternal- and paternal-effect
genes in autism spectrum Arnold J. Levine, Ph.D. Institute for
Advanced Study Daniel Notterman, M.D. Advanced maternal and
paternal age have been reported as risk factors for autism
spectrum disorders. In general, the genetic quality of eggs and
sperm declines over time, reducing the chance of older parents
to produce normal offspring. Copy-number variation (CNV) — a
type of genetic alteration commonly associated with autism
spectrum disorder — is thought to be one of the most common
problems with the quality of eggs or sperm in older individuals.
Daniel Notterman at Princeton University and Arnold Levine at
the Institute for Advanced Study are investigating a potential
link between certain CNVs and autism. In particular, they are
studying the association between loss of copy-number in the
NCAM-2 gene and autism. Staining for the NCAM-2 protein in
tissue sections of human brain showed that NCAM-2 protein is
expressed in cells of the hippocampus a