How soon will autistic disorder-related genes be found?
• We cannot predict how soon autistic disorder-related genes will be found. Still, we are hopeful that genes associated with autistic disorder will be identified within the next few years. It is difficult to predict when these genes will be found, however, once they are identified, additional research will be necessary to understand how the genes function, how they cause autistic disorder, and whether they act alone or in combination with other genes or environmental factors. Therefore, even after genes associated with autistic disorder are identified, it is likely that genetic testing will still be years away. Many different scientific groups around the world have identified regions on different chromosomes that are likely to contain autistic disorder related genes. Finding a gene is usually a slow and tedious process; the time frame should be measured in years. However, we are off to a great start!
