人类自闭症基因已被发现发

Autism-Related Genes² Discovered 人类自闭症基因已被发现发

The human body has about 25,000 genes. Researchers already know of 65 genes they believe carry a risk for autism. Now, researchers at Princeton University in New Jersey³ have identified 2,500 more that could help create the conditions for autism.

The discovery is important because the genes could lead scientists toward finding a cause and, possibly, a treatment.

Autism and … Facebook?

Autism is a condition that makes it difficult for some people to communicate, learn and socialize.

Arjun Krishnan is a researcher at Princeton’s Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics. He says researchers used what they called a machine-learning computer program to identify autism-related genes.

Krishnan explains that the program identified similarities between brain-related genes and the 65 autism-risk genes.

Then, the program looked for other genes that are “friends” of both sets.

He says the process is like finding friends on Facebook.

"And if Facebook wanted to find out who your friends are and wanted to suggest a friend for you, what they would do is find out who your friends are and then find out other people who are friends with those same people. And if they are, they are very likely friends of you, too. So that is how they give you suggestions of new friends you might know. We used a very, very similar strategy..."

The strategy permitted researchers to find patterns within the brain’s huge circuitry. It showed that having genes that are “friends” of both brain-related and autism-related genes can increase a person’s risk for autism.

The findings can also help researchers understand why one person may be only mildly affected⁴ with autism, while another is severely⁵ affected.

Olga Troyanskaya is a professor of computer science and genomics at Princeton. She says people’s entire sets of genes influence what kinds of symptoms they have.

In other words, autism researchers need to consider not only individual genes, but also gene¹ combinations.

Researchers still have not found a way to diagnose autism, beyond just observing the child. But they hope this new research into gene patterns will lead to a way to diagnose very young children. Then they can be helped as soon as possible.

Words in This Story

autism – n. a condition or disorder⁶ that begins in childhood and that causes problems in forming relationships and in communicating with other people

circuitry – n. a system or group of circuits—or paths

diagnose – v. to recognize a disease by examination

entire - adj. compete; not lacking any part

1 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

2 genes   

n.基因( gene的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪

3 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

4 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

5 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

6 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。