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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Tag: GABA

November 2018
Two hands hold two pills, one red and one blue.

Drug duo delivers brain, behavioral benefits for fragile X syndrome

by  /  8 November 2018

Administering a cholesterol drug alongside an antibiotic eases atypical behavior and restores the signaling balance in the brains of people with fragile X syndrome.

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Chandelier cells send their signals through fibers arranged in vertical columns that are reminiscent of the candles in a chandelier.

Chandelier cells may sprout few branches in autism brains

by  /  7 November 2018

Specialized neurons called chandelier cells, which dampen brain signals, make unusually few connections in the brains of people with autism.

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Neurons glow green in mice brain.

Loss of autism gene alters landscape of inhibitory brain signals

by  /  6 November 2018

Mice lacking one copy of a leading autism gene have hyperexcitable brains and problems with learning and memory.

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Outlines of mice neurons have long branches.

Rodent models of autism miss milestone in brain signaling

by  /  4 November 2018

In mice exposed to maternal inflammation in the womb, a key chemical messenger never makes the switch from exciting brain signals to inhibiting them.

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October 2018

Study calls into question chemical messenger’s role in autism

by  /  29 October 2018

New results from brain scans of adults with autism are at odds with the popular theory that the condition involves weak brakes on brain activity.

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September 2018
Mouse brain photograph shows the area of drug delivery highlighted in red.

Brain implant mutes seizure-like activity in mice

by  /  28 September 2018

A new brain implant pumps chemical signals directly into a target region to ease seizure-like activity in mice.

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July 2018
A whimsical illustration shows scientists as flowers, being 'watered' by Euros, which is also filtering down into a system of lab objects and medicines.

Record-breaking grant may fuel autism drug development

by  /  19 July 2018

A huge new research collaboration may jump-start the race to develop therapies for autism.

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February 2018
colorful hands marking a path

Twist on gene-editing tool may speed studies of gene function

by  /  21 February 2018

Researchers have repurposed the gene-editing tool CRISPR to dial down a gene’s activity in select subtypes of neurons in mice.

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January 2018
By staining the nuclei from all cells blue (left) and those from neurons red (middle), researchers can isolate the resulting purple nuclei from neurons (right).

Chemical tags on genomes in neurons altered in autism brains

by  /  31 January 2018

Neurons from people with autism may have an unusual pattern of chemical tags that turn genes on and off.

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black rat and white rat

Anxiety drug reverses problems in mice with autism mutation

by  /  4 January 2018

A widely used treatment for anxiety can eliminate some of the cognitive and social problems seen in mice missing a copy of ARID1B, a gene associated with autism.

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