Autism spectrum disorders share common molecular causes

Neurodevelopmental disorders such as intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorders can have profound, lifelong effects on learning and memory, but relatively little is known about precise molecular pathways that cause these diseases. Now, a team of McGill University researchers led by psychiatry professor Carl Ernst has discovered that autism spectrum disorders caused by distinct genetic mutations have similar molecular effects on cells -- suggesting that similar therapeutic approaches could be effective for conditions ranging from seizures to intellectual disability.

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