Dr. Dietrich Stephan, director of the neurogenomic division of TGen told The Associated Press, "this is the first step" in finding a cure for the childhood-onset diseases.
Currently, medications treating epilepsy don't work on about 40 % of the varying types of the disease. And the only treatment for autism are behavioral therapies working with kids extensively on a daily basis to teach them life skills.
Most epileptic symptoms, including recurring seizures, have been traced to abnormalities of the brain structure or chemistry that alter the electrical activity in nerve cells. Autistic traits also are believed to be caused by disrupted nerve networks.
An estimated 2 million Americans are affected by epilepsy, while autism occurs in about 1.5 million, including about 100,000 school-age children. Seizures are the primary symptoms of epilepsy while autism can affect speech and the ability to interact with others.
