Altered visual processing in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome; and more

Visual cues: Sensory neurons in the retina display altered structure and function in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome, according to a new study. Retinal ganglion cells—homologous to primate ganglion cells—received more inhibitory input and were less responsive to light in mice lacking the gene FMR1 compared with the same cells in wildtype mice. These changes in sensory processing caused by the loss of FMR1 in the retina may underlie the altered visual sensitivities observed in people with fragile X syndrome and autism. Journal of Neuroscience

More autism research we spotted:

• “An antisense oligonucleotide-based strategy to ameliorate cognitive dysfunction in the 22q11.2 deletion syndrome” eLife
• “Extracellular vesicle profiling reveals novel autism signatures in patient-derived forebrain organoids” Research Square
  See also: “Protein ‘bubbles’ released from neurons may play role in autism”

• • “Altered neurobehavioral reward response predicts psychotic-like experiences in youth exposed to cannabis prenatally” Biological Psychiatry
  • “Perinatal serotonin signalling dynamically influences the development of cortical GABAergic circuits with consequences for lifelong sensory encoding” Nature Communications
    See also: “After 60 years, scientists are still trying to crack a mysterious serotonin-autism link”
  • “Positive autism screening in children born preterm” Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
  • “Missense ABI2 variants linked to a neurodevelopmental disorder with intellectual disability, epilepsy, hypoplasia of the corpus callosum, and white matter abnormalities” medRxiv
  • “Autism-associated PTCHD1 missense variants bind to the SNARE-associated protein SNAPIN but exhibit impaired subcellular trafficking” Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science
  • “Dissociation of the mTOR protein interaction network following neuronal activation is altered by SHANK3 mutation” bioRxiv
  • “Heterozygosity for neurodevelopmental disorder-associated TRIO variants yields distinct deficits in behavior, neuronal development, and synaptic transmission in mice” eLife