Advances in understanding – genetic basis of intellectual disability

Abstract

Intellectual disability is the most common developmental disorder characterized by a congenital limitation in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior. It often co-occurs with other mental conditions like attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder, and can be part of a malformation syndrome that affects other organs. Considering the heterogeneity of its causes (environmental and genetic), its frequency worldwide varies greatly. This review focuses on known genes underlying (syndromic and non-syndromic) intellectual disability, it provides a succinct analysis of their Gene Ontology, and it suggests the use of transcriptional profiling for the prioritization of candidate genes.