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Autism spectrum disorder is a condition that affects the development of the brain.

People with ASD behave differently because the disorder affects how the brain works.

To understand the genetic basis of ASD, you have to understand the basic concepts of genes and proteins involved in brain function.

Our brain is the most complex organ in our body. It is responsible for controlling all of the body’s functions.

It interprets signals from the environment and controls our thoughts and behaviours.

In order for the brain to function properly, it requires large and complex molecules called proteins.

Proteins are crucial for performing different biological functions for life and are formed from a set of instructions called genes.

Let's use an analogy to understand this concept.

Imagine your brain is a car factory.

The car factory makes typical cars like this one.

When the factory is working properly, the car runs in a way we expect it to.

Inside the factory, you have robots working in an assembly line to produce these cars.

These robots represent proteins in your brain.

These robots in turn are built from blueprints that contain instructions on how to assemble them correctly.

These blueprints are your genes.

Genes are the instructions for making proteins so that the brain can function. Just like how blueprints are the instructions for making robots so that the factory can function.

However, if there is a change at the level of the gene, proteins will be made differently leading to atypical brain function.

Similarly, if there is a change to the blueprints of the robots, the robots will be made differently leading to the production of atypical cars in the factory.

Depending on the changes to the blueprints, the cars that are produced in the factory can be different. Some changes can lead to subtle modifications to the cars...

...while other changes can lead to drastic modifications to the cars.

Hence, brain function can be represented as two categories where you have typical functioning brains in one group and atypical functioning brains in the other.

ASD is a brain disorder caused by changes in genes and proteins that affect brain function, just like the changes in blueprints leading to differently constructed robots in the atypical factory.

Each individual with ASD has unique changes at the level of the blueprints (genes), meaning that modifications to the cars are different for each patient.

This means that there are variations in the type and severity of symptoms each patient exhibit...

...and no two individuals with ASD present in the same way.

Now that you have a better understanding of genes and proteins in autism spectrum disorder, move onto module 2 to learn about the genetic basis of ASD.