Autism is a condition that affects how people communicate, learn, and interact with others. It usually appears in early childhood and is more common in boys than girls. Experts estimate that about 1 in every 59 children has autism.
While the signs of autism vary from person to person, many children with autism have trouble speaking, understanding social cues, or managing their emotions. These challenges can lead to unusual behavior or difficulties at school and home.
Although doctors and scientists have known about autism for many years, they still don’t fully understand what causes it. Most experts believe that it is a combination of genetics and environment.
In other words, a child may inherit certain genes that make autism more likely, and things that happen during pregnancy or early life might also play a role. But figuring out exactly which genes are involved and how they affect the brain has been difficult.
A new study from Northwestern University may help answer some of these questions. Researchers there have found a possible reason why the brains of children with autism develop differently. They discovered that a specific genetic change may stop the brain from building enough connections during an important period of growth after birth.
In the brain, cells called neurons need to connect and talk to each other so that we can think, learn, and remember. These connections are made at tiny points called synapses. If there are not enough synapses, the brain cells can’t talk properly, which might cause learning problems or affect how a person behaves or communicates.
The scientists focused on a gene called ANK3, which makes a protein called ankyrin-G. This protein helps neurons grow small structures called dendritic spines. Dendritic spines are like little arms that reach out and form connections with other neurons, creating synapses. So, ankyrin-G is very important for building the brain’s communication network.
But ankyrin-G can’t do this job alone. It needs help from another protein called Usp9X. This protein helps keep ankyrin-G stable and working properly. If Usp9X is missing or doesn’t work right, ankyrin-G becomes weak and disappears, especially during the first few weeks after birth, when the brain is growing quickly.
In their experiments, the researchers studied mice whose Usp9X protein wasn’t working. These mice had much lower levels of ankyrin-G, and as a result, their brains made fewer synapses.
These mice had trouble learning and showed unusual behaviors that lasted into adulthood. This finding gave the researchers a clue: when this important partnership between Usp9X and ankyrin-G fails, brain cells don’t connect the way they should.
This may be one reason why some children develop autism. The brain isn’t forming enough connections during a critical time, leading to the kinds of difficulties we see in people with the condition—such as problems with communication and learning.
The lead researcher, Peter Penzes, believes this discovery brings us closer to understanding how certain genes affect brain development. The results were published in a well-known science journal called Neuron. These findings could help doctors find better ways to diagnose autism earlier or even develop new treatments in the future.
While this research doesn’t offer a cure, it gives scientists a clearer map of how autism might develop in the brain. Knowing more about how the brain grows and changes in early life could lead to better support for children with autism and their families.
If you care about autism, please read studies about food additives and ADHD, and natural fixes for ADHD.
For more health information, please see recent studies about nutrition’s role in managing ADHD, and this type of food may contribute to autism.
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