Autism Study
Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text.
- KEYWORDS:
- AUTISTIC DISORDER
- CHILDREN'S HEALTH
- ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE
- GENETIC PREDISPOSITION TO DISEASE
- NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (U.S.)
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is funding a large prospective study that may shed light on genetic and environmental factors that contribute to autism spectrum disorders, as well as identify early biological signs of autism (http://www.earlistudy.org/).
The Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation (EARLI) will enroll as many as 1200 mothers of children with autism from the start of a subsequent pregnancy and then monitor the resulting children until the age of 3 years. The women will be asked to complete surveys and provide biological samples; such samples also will be collected from the children, who will undergo periodic assessments for autism.
Several institutions in Pennsylvania, California, and Maryland will participate. A $14 million grant from the NIH and a $2.5 million grant from Autism Speaks, an advocacy group for children with autism and their families, are funding the study.
