Neuroscience Institute Seeking Research Project Participants

The ultimate goal is monumental.

The initial one seems fairly simple.

The Atlantic Neuroscience Institute at Overlook Medical Center is looking for a minimum of 40 autistic students from Morris-Union Jointure Commission district schools, along with 40 young people without autism, to take part in a genetics study.

“They're attempting to identify hereditary and genetic issues that might be different with children with autism,” explained Commission Superintendent Kim Coleman. "It's a straightforward study in that it is based on parents approving the taking of blood samples to be compared with a nondisabled population."

The Exploratory Gene Expression Analysis of Childhood Autism study is being headed by Roger Kurlan, a pediatric neurologist and director of the movement disorders program at the institute. Dr. Kurlan explained that as 40 autistic students are signed up, they and their parents will be asked to help find 40 more young friends or relatives who do not have autism.

“Then we will compare the gene expression, and we're looking at the genes expressed in the brain, so we're narrowing down where we are looking,” he said.

Dr. Kurlan said, depending upon the results, the study could be expanded to include 100 students in each of the autistic and “controlled” groups. It is expected to take about a year to conclude the study and publish the findings, with analysis being performed at the molecular genetics lab at Georgetown University.

The surprising thing is that a similar study has not been done sooner.

“There have been a couple studies that looked at twins,” Dr. Kurlan said. “It kind of surprised us too (that this has not been done.)”

Coleman said that while genetic differences have long been suspected, they have yet to be identified. If found, he continued, “it could lead to better therapies and perhaps a cure.”

“It's a very unique study and we're looking forward to it,” he said.

In addition to the blood samples, Coleman said, parents and guardians will be asked to take part in a 30-minute interview.

Coleman explained that the institute approached the six-member, five-county district, looking for participants from the Developmental Learning Centers in Warren and New Providence. The students need to be aged 14 through 21 and could also come from non-member districts, Coleman said.

Letters are being sent to parents. Blood sampling is expected to be conducted by late this month or mid November.

The Morris-Union Jointure Commission is a regional collaborative public school district that provides services and programs to meet the needs of its 29 constituent school districts, which serve students from age 3 through 21. MUJC provides public school programs in for students with autism or autistic-like behavior at the two DLCs it operates in Warren and New Providence.