Autism Have Too Many Brain Connections - Scientists

Scientists at Columbia University in New York believe that the surplus synapses are created because of a lack of ‘pruning’ that normally occurs early in life.

The discovery is a huge leap in understanding of the complex condition and creates hope of a possible treatment, researchers said.

In mice with autistic traits, scientists were able to restore the synaptic pruning and reduce symptoms.

Using a drug usually used to suppress the immune systems of transplant patients, the found the autistic-like behaviours were reduced.

The drug, rapamycin, has side effects that make it unsuitable as an autism treatment. 

But the discovery opens up possibilities for other therapies which can reduce the number of synapses, according to the study published in the journal Neuron.

Professor Jeffrey Lieberman, chair of psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, where the research took place, said: ‘This is an important finding that could lead to a novel and much-needed therapeutic strategy for autism.’

Autism, which affects around 500,000 people in the UK, covers a range of behavioural disorders that reduce the ability of sufferers to communicate with and relate to other people.

Professor Sulzer said: ‘The fact that we can see changes in behaviour suggests that autism may still be treatable after a child is diagnosed, if we can find a better drug.’

He added: ‘While people usually think of learning as requiring formation of new synapses, the removal of inappropriate synapses may be just as important.

‘What's remarkable about the findings is that hundreds of genes have been linked to autism, but almost all of our human subjects had overactive mTOR and decreased autophagy, and all appear to have a lack of normal synaptic pruning.’

Carol Povey, director of the National Autistic Society's Centre for Autism, said: ‘This interesting research may help develop our understanding of the complex brain differences that exist between people with autism and those who do not have the condition.

‘However, the suggestion that a drug could be developed to 'treat' autism should be treated with caution. 

Aside from considering the ethical implications, we question whether it's possible to extrapolate the effects of medication on mice that exhibit supposedly autism-like behaviour to humans who actually have the disability.’ FULL STORY

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