The aim of the study is to identify the gene or genes that contribute to the cause of autism by studying families who have two or more individuals diagnosed within the autism spectrum. Recently, the NIH has made the search for an autism gene one of its top priorities. CAP is a key component of this national research effort.
Genetic linkage is the first important step towards identifying a gene.
Our theory is that there may be three of four genes that must all be present to cause autism. Once one of these genes is identified, researchers will begin to explore its function in order to understand the biological mechanism causing familial autism. Numerous autism cases have been reported with large pieces of 15 deleted or duplicated. These were large enough to be visible on a karyotype, which involves looking at the chromosomes under an ordinary microscope. At the last World Congress on Psychiatric Genetics meeting in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a collaborative group from Europe presented evidence for a possible gene on Chromosome 7.