Postsynaptic density

Pruning protein; cultural connection; cannabis consent and more

A pruning protein reshapes neurons, culture should be a consideration in trials of autism treatments, and another U.S. state adds autism to the list of indications for medical cannabis.

By Emily Willingham
8 December 2017 | 4 min read
Illustration of Protein factories at neuronal junctions

Protein factories at neuronal junctions take center stage in autism

Some genes linked to autism regulate the production of proteins at neuronal junctions, suggesting that disrupted protein synthesis contributes to the condition.

By Claudia Bagni, Fiona Hollis
12 September 2017 | 4 min read

Proteins that spark learning may play key part in autism

A new study ties autism risk to a core team of proteins that facilitate neuronal signaling as an animal learns.

By Ann Griswold
29 September 2016 | 3 min read

Cell skeleton breakdown may spur autism symptoms in mice

An autism-linked mutation in the SHANK3 gene alters the protein skeleton of mouse neurons. Repairing the scaffold eases the animals’ social deficits.

By Nicholette Zeliadt
15 June 2015 | 4 min read

Method isolates protein complexes from neuronal junctions

Researchers have for the first time isolated and characterized protein complexes found at the points of connection between neurons. Mutations in some of these proteins are linked to autism.

By Kate Yandell
17 December 2014 | 2 min read

Large study underscores role of gene copy number in autism

People with autism tend to carry mutations that duplicate or delete several genes at once, according to a large study published 1 May in the American Journal of Human Genetics.

By Jessica Wright
2 June 2014 | 5 min read

Brain atlas maps gene expression in three dimensions

Researchers have charted patterns of gene expression in a three-dimensional representation of the human brain. The results, published 20 September in Nature, show that different brain regions have distinct molecular and functional roles.

By Jessica Wright
14 November 2012 | 2 min read

Defects in autism risk genes may lead to slower signals

Mutations in two genes linked to autism, neurexin and neuroligin, slow down neuronal signaling, according to research published 2 August in Science. Analyzing the mutations in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, the study found that mutations in these genes affect signaling in the opposite direction than is typical.

By Emily Singer
6 August 2012 | 4 min read

Molecular mechanisms: Autism gene tied to neuronal junctions

Neurobeachin, or NBEA, an autism–associated gene, may regulate the transport of signaling molecules to neuronal branches, according to a study published 22 November in Nature Communications.

By Jessica Wright
24 January 2012 | 3 min read

Molecular mechanisms: SHANK2 mutants alter synapses

Three mutations in SHANK2, an autism-associated gene, each lead to abnormal synapses, the junctions between neurons, according to a study in Human Molecular Genetics.

By Jessica Wright
30 November 2011 | 3 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Research image of neurons in the fly’s ventral nerve cord.

New connectomes fly beyond the brain

Researchers are mapping the neurons in Drosophila’s ventral nerve cord, where the central nervous system meets the rest of the body.

By Laura Dattaro
26 July 2024 | 7 min read
Illustration of researchers talking to laypeople amidst strands of DNA.

Building an autism research registry: Q&A with Tony Charman

A purpose-built database of participants who have shared genomic and behavioral data could give clinical trials a boost, Charman says.

By Cathleen O’Grady
25 July 2024 | 8 min read

Cerebellar circuit may convert expected pain relief into real thing

The newly identified circuit taps into the brain’s opioid system to provide a top-down form of pain relief.

By Angie Voyles Askham
24 July 2024 | 6 min read