研究发现 自闭症或因继承父亲基因突变

Three separate studies, all published in the journal Nature, have identified several gene mutations, many inherited from fathers, that may play a role in autism.

近日，《自然》杂志上发表的三项独立研究发现，若干从父亲那里继承来的基因突变可能导致自闭症。

There's no one gene that causes autism, but several genetic mutations increase the risk of getting autism, James Sutcliffe, co-author of one study said.

其中一项研究的合著者詹姆斯·萨克利夫称，原本没有任何基因会引发自闭症，然而多个基因突变增加了患自闭症的风险。

The genes are likely inherited through the paternal line because as a man ages, his sperm cells are constantly dividing, providing more opportunity for mutations.

引发自闭症的基因很可能传承自父系，随着男性变老，其精子将持续分化从而增加了基因突变的几率。

While women, are born with all of the egg cells they will have for life.

而女性一生所有的卵子生之即来。

Each study found multitudes of mutated genes in autistic children.

每项研究都发现患自闭症的儿童带有大量的突变基因。

Diagnosing autism by the gene mutations is still a long way off, and future research will focus on identifying other mutations that could play a role, researchers said.

研究人员表示，通过基因突变来诊断自闭症尚需假以时日，未来的研究将以识别其他可能导致自闭症的突变为主。