AUTISM - THE POINT-OF-VIEW FROM FRAGILE-X STUDIES

The relationship between the fragile X syndrome (FXS) and autism is re viewed. Shortly after the FXS was first described, it was noted that c ertain behaviors commonly found in afflicted individuals resemble cert ain features of autism. Research concerning a possible relationship be tween these conditions is summarized. The outcome of this research ind icates that FXS is not a common cause of autism, although the number o f individuals with FXS who meet diagnostic criteria for autism is high er than can be accounted for by chance. The major focus of this paper highlights that FXS is a well-defined neurogenetic disease that includ es a cognitive behavioral phenotype, and has both a known biological c ause and an increasing well-delineated pathogenesis. Autism is a behav iorally defined syndrome whose syndromic boundaries and biological cau ses are not known. These profound differences complicate comparisons a nd causal discussions. However, the behavioral neurogenetic informatio n available about FXS suggests certain pathways for future research di rected at elucidating the syndrome of autism.