title: The genetic variability and commonality of neurodevelopmental disease.
abstract: Despite detailed clinical definition and refinement of neurodevelopmental disorders and neuropsychiatric conditions, the underlying genetic etiology has proved elusive. Recent genetic studies have revealed some common themes: considerable locus heterogeneity, variable expressivity for the same mutation, and a role for multiple disruptive events in the same individual affecting genes in common pathways. Recurrent copy number variation (CNV), in particular, has emphasized the importance of either de novo or essentially private mutations creating imbalances for multiple genes. CNVs have foreshadowed a model where the distinction between milder neuropsychiatric conditions from those of severe developmental impairment may be a consequence of increased mutational burden affecting more genes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genome Sciences and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Bradley P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Coe
authors.forename: Santhosh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Girirajan
authors.forename: Evan E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Eichler
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D056915:DNA Copy Number Variations / Q000235:genetics*; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000235:genetics*; D056426:Genetic Loci; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D059645:Mutation Rate