Brain Changes Precede Schizophrenia and Autism

Published December 18, 2013 in Nature

People who carry high-risk genetic variants for schizophrenia and autism have impairments reminiscent of disorders such as dyslexia, even when they do not yet have a mental illness, a new study has found. Researchers report that people with these copy number variants (CNVs) but no diagnosis of autism or a mental illness still show subtle brain changes and impairments in cognitive function. The findings offer a window into the brain changes that precede severe mental illness and hold promise for early intervention and even prevention, researchers say.

http://www.nature.com/news/brain-changes-precede-schizophrenia-and-autism-1.14415

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