Autism is a condition that some people are born with, affecting their communication and behavior. It’s more common in boys and typically becomes noticeable when a child is very young, with about 1 in every 59 children having it.
Our brains are made up of many tiny parts called brain cells. These cells need to communicate with each other for us to think, learn, and behave.
They do this through connections called synapses. When we’re babies, our brain cells create lots of these connections, and the more synapses there are, the better our brain cells can communicate.
However, sometimes something goes wrong in this process, leading to conditions like autism.
Researchers from Northwestern University and other institutions have been studying this. They wanted to know if certain genes could affect the formation of synapses and, in turn, lead to autism. One of their main focuses was a gene called ANK3, which produces a protein called ankyrin-G.
Scientists had known in the past that changes in the ANK3 gene were linked to brain-related conditions like autism, but they didn’t understand exactly how this gene influenced the brain.
In their study, researchers found that ankyrin-G plays a crucial role. It helps brain cells grow dendrites, which are parts of brain cells that reach out to connect with other cells.
These connections create synapses. However, ankyrin-G needs a partner to do its job properly, and that partner is an enzyme called Usp9X.
Usp9X acts like a protective friend to ankyrin-G, keeping it stable so it can help brain cells create synapses effectively.
When ankyrin-G and Usp9X work well together, a baby’s brain forms many connections, allowing for efficient communication between brain cells.
But what happens when Usp9X doesn’t work correctly? Researchers found that without Usp9X’s help, ankyrin-G levels drop. This problem may occur shortly after a baby is born, potentially causing harm to the brain.
To understand the effects of this issue, scientists studied mice with the same problem. These mice had problems with their brain cells, known as neurons, and displayed different behaviors.
The researchers believe these issues happened because the mice had fewer synapses, resulting in poorer communication between their brain cells.
The scientists concluded that problems with the Usp9X gene might be one of the causes of autism. This research is a significant step toward understanding why some people have autism. However, more studies are required to confirm and build upon these findings.
This exciting discovery was published in the Neuron journal by Peter Penzes and his research team.
If you care about autism, please read studies about a new cause of autism, and cats may help decrease anxiety for kids with autism.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about vitamin D that may hold the clue to more autism, and results showing strange eating habits may signal autism.
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