A team of researchers, including experts from Northwestern University, has made a significant discovery about how our brains develop.
They found out that a certain genetic factor can cause our brain to make fewer connections at a very important time when our brain is growing.
This discovery is crucial because these connections, known as synapses, help brain cells talk to each other. When there are fewer synapses, it becomes hard for brain cells to communicate. This difficulty can affect learning and might even lead to autism and other similar conditions.
Their findings were shared in a scientific journal called Neuron, and the main researcher was Peter Penzes.
To understand why this discovery is so important, let’s talk about autism. Autism is a condition that affects how people communicate and behave. It’s quite common, impacting 1 in 59 children, and it’s more likely to be found in boys than girls.
People with autism often have a hard time talking with others and may act differently from those around them. Researchers have been trying to understand why this happens.
In the past, scientists thought that changes in a gene called ANK3 might be connected to autism. This gene is responsible for making a protein called ankyrin-G. Ankyrin-G plays a big role in the growth of parts of the brain cell called dendrites.
These dendrites look like long arms reaching out from the cell, and at the end of these arms are many small branches. These branches make connections with other brain cells at the synapses.
But ankyrin-G can’t do its job properly without help from something called Usp9X. Usp9X is a special type of molecule that makes sure ankyrin-G stays stable and can do its job.
This research showed that when a baby’s brain is developing, these connections between brain cells rely on stable ankyrin-G. If everything goes right, the brain cells make lots of synapses, allowing them to communicate well.
However, the team discovered that if Usp9X doesn’t work as it should, there’s not enough ankyrin-G right after birth. This shortage can lead to problems in the brain.
They tested this idea using mice and found that mice with this problem had lasting issues with their neurons (brain cells), their behavior, and other clinical signs. Basically, the mice had trouble because they had fewer synapses, leading to less communication between their brain cells and making learning harder.
In conclusion, this research points out that changes in the Usp9X gene could be a reason why some people develop autism. By understanding this connection between genes and how brain cells talk to each other, scientists are getting closer to figuring out the mystery of autism and how to help those affected by it.
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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