Local medical specialists are able to identify the genetic causes for 30 to 40 percent of autism spectrum disorders, doctors from Shanghai Children’s Medical Center say.

Autism spectrum disorders are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by impaired social interaction and communication skills, and are often accompanied by other problems like repetitive or stereotyped behavior.

A large amount of research has found mutated genes in patients with autism. Identifying genetic causes of autism will improve clinical diagnosis and targeted treatment research, say experts.

“The reasons for autism are very complicated. It is related with genetic, environmental and other causes. Through genetic chip technology and high-throughput sequencing, we can identify the genetic causes for 30 to 40 percent of patients with autism,” Dr Wang Jian, director of Shanghai Children’s Medical Center’s genetic molecular diagnosis department, said yesterday.

“With the genetic research, we have also started to look for targeted medicines and animal models for genetic treatment,” he added.

(Cai Wenjun)