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An Association Study of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Type A Receptor Variants and Susceptibility to Autism Spectrum Disorders

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Abstract

In this pilot study, we aim to identify the role of few genetic variants of GABA-receptor type A subunits GABRB3 (rs4906902, rs7171660), GABRG3 (rs208129, rs140679), GABRA5 (rs 140681) in the aetiology of autism spectrum disorders in a population of West Bengal. 192 ASD probands, their parents and 184 ethnically-matched healthy controls were recruited for the study. The rs4906902G and the rs140679T conferred significant risk towards ASD. rs7171660 and rs140679 had transmission bias in the family. Neither alleles of rs 208129 and rs 140681 showed significant over-representation in either groups. All these variants were associated with at least one deficit in ASD-associated phenotypes like ‘relating to people’, ‘Imitation’, ‘emotional response’, ‘body use’, ‘taste, smell, touch response’ and ‘activity levels’.

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Acknowledgments

The study was funded by Manovikas Kendra, Kolkata-700107 [Grant No. 2019].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Manovikas Biomedical Research and Diagnostic Centre, Manovikas Kendra, 482 Madudah, Plot I-24, Sector J, E.M. Bypass, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700107, India

    Pallabi Adak & Nilanjana Banerjee

  2. Out Patient Department, Manovikas Kendra, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700107, India

    Swagata Sinha

Authors
  1. Pallabi Adak
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  2. Swagata Sinha
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  3. Nilanjana Banerjee
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Contributions

NB coneptualised the work, designed the experiments, did a part of bench work, data analyses and interpretation, manuscript preparation. PA did the bench work mostly, data anayses, manuscript preperation. SS recruitment of study participants, manuscript preparation. All the authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript, tables, figures and supplementary contents submitted.

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Correspondence to Nilanjana Banerjee.

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Adak, P., Sinha, S. & Banerjee, N. An Association Study of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Type A Receptor Variants and Susceptibility to Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 51, 4043–4053 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04865-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04865-x

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