DNA is the instruction manual for building and running our bodies. Genes are the sections of DNA that specify proteins, which do most of the work in our cells. RNA is the messenger that carries those instructions to where proteins are made — so reading RNA shows which genes are active, and how.
RNA-seq gives a comprehensive view of the genome’s expression profile, with real-time insight into activity in our tissues down to individual cells. RNA holds the genetic signatures of autism amidst information from roughly 20,000 genes.
Hundreds of genes are associated with autism risk, but any single variant carries small risk. DNA sequencing provides a static picture of the genome; RNA sequencing provides a dynamic picture of what is actually happening in the body.
Early intervention can enhance cognitive, social and communication skills, reduce the severity of behavioural challenges, and foster independence — a young child’s brain is far more adaptable at 2 or 3 than later. It also saves substantially on long-term therapeutic costs.
Many neurological conditions have genetic impacts on organs beyond the brain, and there is growing recognition of two-way communication between the brain and other organs, such as the brain–gut immune axis. In other words, issues in the brain can manifest elsewhere in the body.
Autism typically begins to manifest around 12 months. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that autism diagnosis should occur at 18 months of age.
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