Component to Identifying key cause of Autism Realized

Photo: John Goode / flickr/ cc by

• Autism Spectrum disorder refers to a range of mental condition characterized by the inability to use language and forming abstract concepts.
• “SHANK” refers to a family of scaffolding genes connected with regulating synaptic signals associated with autism.
• SHANK genes were removed from wingless fruit flies, allowing the measurement of synaptic development.
• Research have found that SHANK removal shows the loss of synaptic maturation, resulting in decrease ability to function.
• Synaptic development with SHANK removal in fruit flies were also observed in mice.
• Mammalian SHANK mutation shows affected pre- and post synaptic development, and also shape and form of dendritic spines.
• This results highlights the importance of identifying an integral gene process to further understand the causes of autism.
• Read more, in the journal of Neuroscience.