Editor's Choice Main Category: Autism Article Date: 15 Sep 2012 - 0:00 PDT

Current ratings for: Neuronal Circuits In Autism Can Be Reversed

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A specific dysfunction in neuronal circuits has been identified, by Professors Peter Scheiffele and Kaspar Vogt at the Biozentrum of the University of Basel, that results from autism.

The researchers also discovered a way to reverse these neuronal changes. They believe that their findings, published in the journal Science, will have a great effect in drug development for treating autism.

Current estimates have revealed that about 1% of all kids develop an autistic spectrum disorder.

Autism is a hereditary developmental disorder of the brain, where people may experience fixed behavioral traits, disabled social functioning,and restricted speech development.

There are several mutations in over 300 genes identified as a central risk factor for the development of autism. One example is the gene neuroligin-3, which has a role in the formation of synapses- a structure that permits a neuron to pass an electrical or chemical signal to another cell.

Roche and a team of researchers from the Biozentrum at the University of Basel have detected a fault in the way signals are transmitted through the synapses that change the plasticity and function of the neuronal circuits.

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Neuronal Circuits In Autism Can Be Reversed