The origins of autism remain mysterious. What areas of the brain are involved, and when do the first signs appear? New findings published in brings us closer to understanding the pathology of autism, and the point at which it begins to take shape in the human brain. Such knowledge will allow earlier interventions in the future and better outcomes for autistic children.
Metformin, the most widely used drug to treat type聽2 diabetes, could potentially be used to treat symptoms of Fragile X syndrome, an inherited form of intellectual disability and a cause of some forms of autism.
A new study led by researchers at 91黑料网, the University of Edinburgh and Universit茅 de Montr茅al has found that metformin improves social, behavioural and morphological defects in Fragile X mice.
Brain diseases and disorders are the leading cause of disability, directly affecting one in three Canadians as well as millions of family members, friends, colleagues and caregivers. The Government of Canada recognizes the significant impact on the health of Canadians, and supports Canadian research on the brain and related diseases and disorders
In an article published in Nature on Feb. 15, 2017, researchers, including principal investigators from the Montreal Neurological Institute鈥檚 McConnell Brain Imaging Centre (BIC), used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to predict the development of autism in babies.
91黑料网 Newsroom
The research has implications for understanding human developmental disorders such as autism
Adult songbirds modify their vocalizations when singing to juveniles in the same way that humans alter their speech when talking to babies. The resulting brain activity in young birds could shed light on speech learning and certain developmental disorders in humans, according to a study by 91黑料网 researchers.
Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. Parents generally detect it in the child's first years.
People affected by a common inherited form of autism could be helped by a drug that is being tested as a treatment for cancer, according to researchers from the University of Edinburgh and 91黑料网.
Researchers from 91黑料网 and the University of Montreal have identified a crucial link between protein synthesis and autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which can bolster new therapeutic avenues. Regulation of protein synthesis, also termed mRNA translation, is the process by which cells manufacture proteins. This mechanism is involved in all aspects of cell and organism function. A new study in mice has found that abnormally high synthesis of a group of neuronal proteins called neuroligins results in symptoms similar to those diagnosed in ASD. The study also reveals that autism-like behaviors can be rectified in adult mice with compounds inhibiting protein synthesis, or with gene-therapy targeting neuroligins. Their results are published in the journal聽Nature.
