NPTN gene changes linked to rare developmental disorders in eight children

For some families, the reason their child is not developing as expected remains unclear for a long time. Researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology (LIN) in Magdeburg have now identified a genetic cause of a previously unexplained developmental disorder. They showed that changes in the NPTN gene can impair the function of nerve cells. Affected children experience developmental delays, often autism and, in some cases, epilepsy.