Study: How we look at faces may lead to insight into autism
How we recognize and look at people’s faces has to do with our genes. Scientists say this could be especially important for gaining new insight to autism.
Research from a new study by the journal Nature suggests that people are born with neurological differences that affect how they develop socially.
The study refers to the way genes determine how children seek out social experiences, like making eye contact or observing facial expressions.
Experts say the study may lead scientists in the right direction to discovering genes that are linked to autism.
The New York Times reports that Charles A. Nelson III, a professor of pediatrics and neuroscience at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital, who was not involved in the research, called the findings “novel” and “convincing.”
Nelson said the study suggests there’s a genetic link to different patterns of brain development, which leads some kids to develop autism.
Dr. Nelson was an independent reviewer of the study for Nature and added that while autism is known to have a genetic basis, how specific genes affect the development of autism remains undetermined.
