Grissom says Genetic Effects Can “Stack Up” For Those With Autism

In Spectrum News, a publication exploring the latest in research on autism, Nicola Grissom, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Minnesota, discusses a new study that found rare genetic variants that alter the expression of genes in the brain. The study was conducted with individuals who have a known DNA deletion in the chromosomal region 16p12.1; about 30% of those with this deletion have been diagnosed with autism.  The additional rare genetic variants recently discovered can compound the traits associated with autism.  Grissom notes that these variants  lead to different outcomes for individuals, even those who have the deletion. However, Grissom highlights that genetic influences  are not deterministic, and is interested to better understand how and when variants are linked with impact.