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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Tag: TSC2

June 2023
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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January 2023
Research image showing the impact of a gene mutation on a synapse.

Tweaks to autism-linked pathway tilt circuits’ signaling balance

by  /  31 January 2023

Altered expression of TSC2 and the mTOR pathway reshape the formation of certain synapses between inhibitory and excitatory neurons in mice.

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November 2022
Two white mice socialize.

Autism genes converge on disruptions in social brain circuit

by  /  17 November 2022

The circuit linking the prefrontal cortex and part of the thalamus is impaired in mice raised in social isolation and in mice with mutations in the FMR1 or TSC2 genes.

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February 2022
Conceptual illustration of child sleeping under blanket with multiple EEG waves overlaid on top and a window on left showing it is daytime and window on right showing nighttime.

Cracking autism’s sleep conundrum

by  /  25 February 2022

Sleep problems may contribute to or derive from autism traits — or both. After decades of work, researchers are beginning to uncover the biological connections between the two conditions, revealing new paths to potential treatments.

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November 2021

Synaptic overgrowth, hyperconnectivity may define autism subtype

by  /  18 November 2021

Model mice of the subtype also show hyperactivity in a signaling pathway called mTOR, bolstering the idea that distinct forms of autism have different biological roots and may require different treatment approaches.

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September 2021
A concerned man holds his toddler close

Severe infection may raise odds of autism in some children

by  /  17 September 2021

Mock viral infections impair social memory in mice with a mutation tied to autism, and autistic boys are more likely than their non-autistic peers to have had serious infections early in life.

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June 2021
Micrograph of two developing axons, one with one copy of TSC2 gene and the other with two copies.

Disrupted cell skeletons may explain brain wiring changes in autism-linked condition

by  /  28 June 2021

Neuronal axons ignore guidance cues after a mutation in the gene TSC2 disrupts signaling through RhoA, a protein regulated by many autism-linked genes.

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May 2020

Extra proteins alter microglia and behavior in mice

by  /  29 May 2020

The overproduction of proteins in brain cells called microglia causes social impairments, cognitive deficits and repetitive behavior in male mice, a new study has found.

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September 2019
row of babies playing with toys that look like genome sequence

Studies of tuberous sclerosis may shed light on biology of autism

by  /  24 September 2019

Tuberous sclerosis provides a unique opportunity to understand autism because about half of people with that single-gene condition also have autism.

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August 2019

Trial results temper hopes of tumor drug for treating autism

by  /  29 August 2019

A drug that treats tumors and epilepsy in people with tuberous sclerosis complex does not boost their intelligence or ease autism traits.

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