title: Pragmatic Language in autism and fragile X syndrome: Genetic and clinical applications.
abstract: Evidence suggests a strong genetic basis to autism. Our research program focuses on identifying genetically meaningful phenotypes in autism, through family-genetic and cross-population methods, with a particular focus on language and social phenotypes that have been shown to aggregate in families of individuals with autism. In this article, we discuss recent findings from family study research implicating particular language and personality features as markers for genetic liability to autism and fragile X syndrome andFMR1-related variation in relatives. We conclude with consideration of the clinical implications of such findings.
authors.affiliation: Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University.
authors.forename: Molly
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Losh
authors.affiliation: FPG Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ; Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Allied Health Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
authors.forename: Gary E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: FPG Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ; Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Allied Health Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klusek
authors.affiliation: Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University.
authors.forename: Abigail L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Hogan-Brown
keywords: Autism; Broad Autism Phenotype; FMR1 Premutation; Fragile X Syndrome; Pragmatic Language