Identification of moderate effect size genes in autism spectrum disorder through a novel gene pairing approach
Madison Caballero, F Kyle Satterstrom, Silvia de Rubeis, Joseph D Buxbaum, Behrang Mahjani · 2026
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Description
Madison Caballero and colleagues offered a new way to find autism risk genes whose effects are too modest to stand out alone. Published in 2026, the study drew on 10,795 families from the SPARK collection and looked for gene pairs that raise risk only when inherited together. The idea rests on a threshold view of autism, in which many small genetic and life factors add up until they cross into the condition.
The search found 97 modest genes forming 50 pairs with a strong joint link to autism, though no single gene crossed the line alone. Checks against control groups sharpened the result, and gene-activity patterns in brain tissue backed the biological fit of the pairs. The authors argue that paired genes help explain why autism varies so much from person to person. The work opens fresh paths for research and, in time, for more targeted forms of support.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Madison Caballero, F Kyle Satterstrom, Silvia de Rubeis, Joseph D Buxbaum, Behrang Mahjani |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 78 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |