Immune genes more active when autism develops later

University of California-Davis researchers have identified 11 genes regulating immune responses that are more active in children with autism in a small study published in the January edition of Genomics. Children with early-onset autism had far fewer active immune genes than those who developed symptoms later on, suggesting they two groups may stem from different causes, according to researcher Dr. Jeffrey Gregg, the UC Davis Medical Center director of molecular diagnostics. The Sacramento Bee (Calif.)