Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Offspring’s of Consanguineous Marriages

Abstract

The Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurological disorder that can be characterized by repetitive behaviors, language delay, varying cmmunication limitations (Lobe,2006). Individuals on the spectrum are also more likely to be accompanied with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), found most frequently (Caron and Rutter 1991); depression (Angold et al. 1999), specific phobias(Love et al.1990), obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD; Charlop-Christy and Haymes 1996), and anxiety (Woodward et al. 2005). Although there are no medical tests available, a diagnostic tool, DSM-V can be used to assess and form a reliable diagnosis by 2 years of age. The fact that this disorder is heterogeneous reflects the drastic differences between individuals with autism only, making diagnostic procedures more difficult. The disorder is more prevalent in boys than girls. Etiology is not definitely known, but research has indicated possible involvement of genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors (Faras et al, 2010). Genetic investigation includes twin, family studies through cytogenetic analysis association and linkage analysis studies, copy number variation (CNV), DNA microarray analysis, as well as whole-exome sequencing analysis and transcriptomic analysis (Li et al, 2012). Environmental factors such as parental age, medication use during pregnancy, maternal smoking and alcohol consumption and vaccination have also been explored. With several indications of genetic contribution to etiology of autism spectrum disorder, the research aims to explore prevalence of ASD in offspring of consanguineous marriages. Consanguinity is commonly practicedin several cultures across South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. These also include communities of these cultures who have migrated to other countries and continue to exercise this as per custom.