Thanks to the Terrible Swede and others who pointed out a couple of articles detailing autism research in New Jersey and Washington.

The teams seem to be looking at different genes. New Jersey:

Researchers say that in the future a person’s risk for autism could be measured with a simple urine test that would look for high levels of “bad” fat molecules, or a blood test that could reveal genetic problems, including the absence of a key gene, called GSTM1, which is responsible for metabolizing good fats. Many people with autism do not have this gene.

University of Washington:

The Autism Genome Project identified one gene, “neurexin 1,” and an area of chromosome 11 with another gene, both of which were found in many of the participating families.

“These two genetic sites are the best we’ve seen as [possible] autism genes,” Schellenberg said.

Neurexin 1 is associated with the release of glutamate, a chemical that allows brain cells to send impulses to one another. The substance plays an important role in early development of the brain and had previously been implicated in autism.

What’s cool about both of these findings is that the genetic markers themselves don’t need to be eliminated, but their symptoms can be managed.