Duke University Experts Find Protein

Duke University Experts Find Protein Which Could Hold Key To Autism Triggers

A team of scientists at North Carolina’s Duke University have demonstrated the effect a protein, called Shank3, can have on communication between brain cells.

Autism is a disorder which affects how people communicate and interact with others.

While a lot has been learned about the condition, its effective cause has yet to be fully determined.

The scientists created autistic mice by mutating the gene which controls the generation of the Shank3 protein.

The protein is found in the synapses between neurons.

What the team found was that mice with the genetic mutation avoided social interactions and displayed obsessive compulsive behaviour.

The mice were found to have defects in the circuits that connect two different areas of the brain, the cortex and the striatum.

This is believed to negatively affect communication and social interaction.

Research lead Dr Guoping Feng said of the study findings : "Our study demonstrated that Shank3 mutation in mice lead to defects in neuron-neuron communications.

"These findings and the mouse model now allow us to figure out the precise neural circuit defects responsible for these abnormal behaviours, which could lead to novel strategies and targets for developing treatment".