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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Tag: synapses

December 2023
Research image of microglia in mice.

Microglial overreaction to atypical neurons may drive autism

by  /  7 December 2023

In mice and organoids lacking a neuronal protein, microglia prune synapses to excess.

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October 2023
A research image of a mouse hippocampus

Some social issues in DYRK1A model mice stem from faulty inhibitory circuits

by  /  11 October 2023

Alterations in inhibitory circuits and difficulties in social recognition characterize mice missing one copy of DYRK1A, a gene linked to autism.

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September 2023
Research image of presynapses on sensory neurons in fruit flies.

UBE3A’s link to synaptic pruning bolstered by fly study

by  /  28 September 2023

Increasing or reducing the levels of the UBE3A gene, which is associated with autism and autism-related syndromes, results in altered patterns of synaptic pruning — a process that snips away brain cell connections.

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Research image of neurons in mice.

Skewed signaling in striatum may spawn repetitive behaviors

by  /  6 September 2023

Synaptic changes in the brain region could drive a core trait of fragile X syndrome, a new mouse study suggests.

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August 2023
Research images of protein synthesis in mice.

Neuronal deafness to stress may add to protein surplus in fragile X

by  /  29 August 2023

A protective pathway that pauses protein synthesis is muted in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome, according to a new study.

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A research image of the fly brain connectome

Full connectome of adult fruit fly completed, with help from citizen scientists

by  /  7 August 2023

The map, by far the largest one of an entire brain to date, contains 130,000 neurons and 53 million synapses.

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July 2023
Image of excitatory synapses in mouse brains.

Dispute erupts over role of sticky proteins in astrocytes

by  /  10 July 2023

But multiple independent researchers say they are not convinced by its results, which fail to confirm high-profile findings from 2017.

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June 2023
Research image comparing microglia with serotonin receptors to those without.

Serotonin powers pruning of developing brain circuits in mice

by  /  28 June 2023

Mice with microglia missing receptors for the neurotransmitter serotonin since birth have too many synapses and show social difficulties in adulthood.

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Image of three developing axons.

Autism’s ties to the cell skeleton

by  /  22 June 2023

Many genes related to the condition play a role in the internal scaffolding of cells, and cytoskeletal disruptions can affect neurodevelopment and behavior.

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March 2023
Adapted research image of immunofluorescence staining of primary cortical neurons showing expression of PTBP proteins and reduced level of the protein SYNGAP1.

‘Splice-switching’ strategy boosts SYNGAP1 expression

by  /  21 March 2023

The approach improves the function of SYNGAP1-deficient neurons in vitro, but whether it will work in people remains unclear.

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