2007年VOA标准英语-Multi-Country Gene Study Points to Causes of Au

By Carol Pearson
Washington, DC
20 February 2007
 
watch Autism report

Scientists working to solve the mysteries of autism say their research points to genetic² causes. The results come from the largest study ever done on the disorder³. The study looked at the genes⁴ of almost 1,200 families.  Each had at least two autistic children.  VOA's Carol Pearson has more.

 
Autism was first believed to be caused by bad parenting
Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder.  It affects people throughout the world. Autism occurs in all racial, ethnic⁵, and social groups and is four times more likely to strike boys than girls.

Theresa and Chris Waddell have two boys with mild autism. Theresa says they are both different. "Autism is such a wide spectrum⁶.  Every child presents [manifests the symptoms] differently."

Which is why it is really a group of disorders⁷ called autism spectrum disorders, or ASD.  ASD impairs⁸ a person's ability to communicate and relate to others. Those most severely⁹ affected¹⁰ cannot even talk.

Scientists suspected a genetic cause -- and this may have been confirmed by a new international study. Computers that can read billions of DNA¹¹ signals in minutes showed specific genes and genetic abnormalities unique to these families.

 
Joseph Buxbaum
Geneticist Joseph Buxbaum is one of the principal investigators¹² in the study.  He explains what they found. "A smoking gun that implicates¹³ a series of genes that all work together, and may together cause autism."

The researchers say the new study also shows environmental toxins¹⁴ do not cause autism spectrum disorders. Professor Buxbaum adds, "The evidence suggests autism is over 90 percent caused by genes."

And not by just one gene¹ but by combinations of genes that may cause the different degrees and kinds of autism.

Buxbaum says it is just the beginning, "We have the beginnings of the beginning, I would call it.  The message here is that there is great hope now." The researchers say they hope their findings will lead to drugs that could reverse autism in five to 10 years.

The researchers will now focus on the many genes they've identified in the autism families hoping to find the exact  roles of each gene or abnormality and how they interact.

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 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

3 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。

4 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

5 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

6 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。

7 disorders   

n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调

参考例句：

• Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告，厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 impairs   

v.损害，削弱( impair的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Smoking impairs our health. 吸烟会损害我们的健康。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Almost anything that impairs liver function can cause hepatitis. 任何有损于肝功能的因素，几乎都会引起肝炎。 来自辞典例句

9 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。

10 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。

11 DNA   

(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸

参考例句：

• DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。

12 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 implicates   

n.牵涉，涉及（某人）( implicate的名词复数 )；表明（或意指）…是起因

参考例句：

• This confession implicates numerous officials in the bribery scandal. 这一供认会使许多官员牵连到受贿的丑事中。 来自辞典例句
• Did you tell him that the recording implicates President Logan in Palmer's assassination? 你有没有告诉他录音显示洛根总统跟帕尔默被杀有关？ 来自电影对白

14 toxins   

n.毒素( toxin的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The seas have been used as a receptacle for a range of industrial toxins. 海洋成了各种有毒工业废料的大容器。
• Most toxins are naturally excreted from the body. 大部分毒素被自然排出体外。 来自《简明英汉词典》