Scientists discover that removing a gene in early stages of life could "reverse" symptoms of autism. Can the same be done for human patients with autism?
Autism has diverse genetic causes, most of which are still unknown. About 1 percent of people with autism are missing a gene called Shank3, which is critical for brain development. Without this gene, individuals develop typical autism symptoms including repetitive behavior and avoidance of social interactions.
In a study of mice, MIT researchers have now shown that they can reverse some of those behavioral symptoms by turning the gene back on later in life, allowing the brain to properly rewire itself.
“This suggests that even in the adult brain we have profound plasticity to some degree,” says Guoping Feng, an MIT professor of brain and cognitive sciences. “There is more and more evidence showing that some of the defects are indeed reversible, giving hope that we can develop treatment for autistic patients in the future.”
Paper:
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v530/n7591/full/nature16971.html
PR:
https://news.mit.edu/2016/neuroscientists-reverse-autism-symptoms-0217
Image:
A glutamatergic synapse, showing neurexin and neuroligin form transynaptic linkage.
Neuroligin binds to PSD-95, which interacts with Shank,
and other synaptic proteins whose genetic variants have been implicated in autism
Credit: Elbert&Greenberg,2013
#neuroscience #research #autism
As a person with autism, this is very interesting. I would say I'm reluctant to embrace the "eliminate autism" approach but lessening the disabling effects of being me can't but seem wise.
ReplyDelete