Yale scientists reveal two paths to autism in the developing brain

Summary

A new Yale-led study has identified two distinct neurodevelopmental abnormalities that arise shortly after brain development begins, which are associated with autism spectrum disorder. The specific abnormalities seem to be determined by the size of the child’s brain, potentially aiding in diagnosis and treatment in the future. In the study, researchers created brain organoids from the stem cells of boys diagnosed with autism, and compared brain development of these affected children to their fathers. Findings suggest that children with autism and macrocephaly, a condition in which a child’s head size is in the 90th percentile or greater at birth, exhibit excessive growth of excitatory neurons compared with their fathers, while other children with autism show a deficit of the same type of neurons. This could help doctors diagnose autism, and may also lead to personalized medicine tailored to specific individuals.

Q&As

AI Comments

👍 This new research is groundbreaking and could lead to life-changing treatments for those with autism. It is amazing that two distinct forms of altered neural networks have been linked to the emergence of autism spectrum disorder.

👎 The findings in this article are limited to only 13 boys diagnosed with autism. More research needs to be conducted to understand the full implications of this study.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about Yale scientists revealing two paths to autism in the developing brain. They used stem cells from 13 boys with autism and created brain organoids to track the growth of specific types of neurons. They found that children with autism and macrocephaly (enlarged head size) exhibited excessive growth of excitatory neurons, while organoids of other children with autism showed a deficit of the same type of neurons.

Friend: Wow, that's really interesting. What are the implications of this?

Me: Well, this could help doctors and researchers diagnose and treat autism in the future, as they can now track the growth of specific types of neurons. It could also help identify autism cases that might respond to existing drugs, since those with macrocephaly may benefit from them while those without may not. Additionally, biobanks of patient-derived stem cells could be essential to tailor therapeutics to specific individuals, which could lead to personalized medicine.

Action items

• Reach out to local autism support groups and organizations to share the findings of the study and discuss how it could help in diagnosis and treatment.
• Follow up with the authors of the study to learn more about their research and how it could be applied to the diagnosis and treatment of autism.
• Research existing drugs designed to ameliorate symptoms of disorders marked by excessive excitatory neuron activity, such as epilepsy, to see if they could be beneficial for autism patients with macrocephaly.

Technical terms

Neurodevelopmental Abnormalities

Abnormalities in the development of the nervous system, which can include changes in the structure, function, and connectivity of the brain.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

A group of developmental disorders that affect communication and behavior.

Brain Organoids

Three-dimensional replicas of the developing brain created in a lab dish from stem cells.

Macrocephaly

A condition in which a child’s head size is in the 90th percentile or greater at birth.

Excitatory Neurons

Neurons that are activated by neurotransmitters and send signals to other neurons.

Biobanks

A collection of biological samples, such as stem cells, used for research and medical purposes.

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