Autism Research Database - Strategic Plan Question Project Details | IACC

Project Element	Element Description
Project Title Project Title	The genetics of male sensitization and female protection in ASD
Principal Investigator Principal Investigator	Werling, Donna
Description Description	Despite the lower prevalence in autism diagnosis of females compared to males, genetic studies show that affected females are more likely to have harmful mutations in their genome. This suggests that females are in some way protected against autism. However, the role of certain genes in sensitizing males to a diagnosis cannot be ruled out. In order to study these two ideas further, this study will look at gene expression and look at genes that are different in males and females regardless of diagnosis, and compare those that are different in autism. The researchers will use multiple approaches in humans and animals to explore these ideas. In this way, genes that sensitize a male to have autism versus those that protect a female from an autism diagnosis can be explored. This may lead to therapeutics that mitigate the symptoms of ASD in males and females.
Funder Funder	Autism Science Foundation
Funding Country Funding Country	United States
Fiscal Year Funding Fiscal Year Funding	35000
Current Award Period Current Award Period	2016-2017
Strategic Plan Question Strategic Plan Question	Question 3: What Causes ASD, and Can Disabling Aspects of ASD be Prevented or Preempted?
Funder’s Project Link Funder’s Project Link	External Project Page
Institution Institution	University of California, San Francisco
Institute Location Institute Location	United States
Project Number Project Number
Government or Private Government or Private	Private
History/Related Projects History/Related Projects	The genetics of male sensitization and female protection in ASD \| 0 \| 2017 \|

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