Transmission+of+A&A+by+EO

__**Transmission**__

> The specific cause of autism is still unknown. Evidence points to the fact that a combination of several factors may cause autism. Certain genetic compounds may trigger autism by themselves or combined with the genes' exposure to the developing child before, during, and after birth. The time of the exposure may be related to the severity of the disorder. Certain regions on the chromosomes 2q, 7q, 6q, 15q, and the sex chromosomes are possible canidates for mutations to occur, but nothing has been proved. It is also possible that autism is caused by the rare mutation s. Possible mutations in chromosomes that may lead to autism can be seen below in Figure 1. Some research supports that during pregency or the delivery of the child problems can occur from metabolic imbalances, infections, and exposure to certain chemicals such as thalidomide or valproate that may result in the child developing autism. Other research points to the fact that a group of unstable genes may interfer with the development of the brain, resulting in the impairments in speech along with social and behavior problems. In families affected by autism, there are patterns of the disorder throughout the family, supporting that it is a genetic disorder.

> Autism seems to occur more often in individuals that also have conditions like Fragile X syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, angelman's syndrome, congenital rubella syndrome, and untreated phenylketonuria.  Figure 1