Discussion+(autism)

====Research regarding Autism Spectrum Disorder has led to more questions about possible causes. As researchers narrow down specific genes and neurological differences, there is a greater understanding of the disorder. During my research, I noticed that the experimental control groups were described as individuals diagnosed with autism. There was no indication of which part of the spectrum the individuals were classified as. Due to the fact that autism is diagnosed based completely on behavior, my concerns are focused around the fact that some individuals used in research could have potentially been misdiagnosed. If there were one or more individuals that were misdiagnosed used in these research studies, then the results would be inaccurate. These experiments could be improved by making experimental groups based on their spectrum classification. If a common factor is found in that experimental group, it could then be compared to other ends of the spectrum. ====  At some point in time I think that researchers will discover more information linking HARs directly to the development of autism. With twenty-eight overlapping target genes, there must be a common factor that has not been found yet. It will be exciting to see where research leads in the future. Hopefully it will be possible to diagnose autism with genetic tests rather than behavior. This would inhibit misdiagnosis and narrow the number of individuals used in research to ensure accuracy.

Abstract and Introduction Materials and Methods Results Broader Impacts Works Cited

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