COLUMBUS – An Ohio hospital is helping launch one of the biggest autism studies in U.S. history.
The project is known as SPARK and, over the next three years, will collect information and DNA from about 50,000 people with autism and their families.
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine is taking part in the study, which is intended to gain a better genetic understanding of autism to accelerate new treatment development.
“We see things like increased rates of autism around the world, and that’s really of significant public health relevance. So, not only parents of kids with autism, but other folks that may want to know what their risks may be associated with autism in future generations – I think we’re going to help inform all of that,” said Dr. Craig Erickson of Cincinnati Children’s, which is assisting with subject recruitment.
An estimated one in 68 children is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.
Nearly 50 genes have been linked to autism, with another 300 possibly involved, Erickson said.
The project, sponsored by the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative and involves 20 other research institutions, combines a Web-based registry with genetic analysis.