DURHAM, N.C., Oct. 21 (UPI) -- A U.S.-led international study indicates a link between autism and alterations to the receptor for oxytocin, an important protein.
The researchers said the alteration does not involve DNA sequence mutation and identified the non-DNA change in an autistic child and his mother.
The team, led by Dr. Simon Gregory of the Duke University Center for Human Genetics, included researchers from the United Kingdom and Italy. They analyzed the DNA of 119 people with autism and 54 healthy individuals.
"We have shown that the non-DNA sequence mutation in the gene responsible for the oxytocin receptor is altered in both peripheral blood cells and the temporal cortex of the brain," Gregory said.
The scientists said the oxytocin pathway has many effects, from facilitating breast-feeding to childbirth and social interaction, and the discovery shows it also plays a major role in human development.
"This study provides additional evidence for the role of oxytocin and its receptor in the development of autism," said Gregory. "It also shows autism will be caused by a number of different factors, not just those involving the sequence of our genomes."
The research is reported in the journal BMC Medicine.
