AutismLink: Memory Protein in Mice Linked to Autism

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AutismLink wrote: Brought to you by AutismLink Memory Protein in Mice Linked to Autism (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- http://www.ivanhoe.com/channels/p_channelstory.cfm?storyid=20354 Researchers uncovered a protein in mice that may be linked to autism and obsessive-compulsive disorders. The protein FKBP12, found in both humans and mice, regulates mTOR, an enzyme that helps neurons change the strength of their connections with other neurons. Changes in synaptic strength are believed to result in learning and memory. Researchers eliminated FKBP12 from the brains of mice with developmental delays to see how they would navigate a variety of mazes and respond to certain objects. The absence of the protein caused notable neurological and behavioral changes. It also increased mTOR signaling, which means FKBP12 limits mTOR activity. Researchers concluded that the brain’s inability to properly regulate the activity of mTOR may have negative effects. The mice, for example, had enhanced perseveration, meaning once they learned a task, like navigating a maze, they had trouble learning how to get through a different version of the maze. They also showed enhanced repetitive behaviors and were more likely to interact with objects familiar to them. Experts say people suffering from autism or other neurological disorders often exhibit these behaviors. “Perservative and repetitive behaviors associated with these neurological disorders are widely believed to be developmentally established -- determined in utero by genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors,” Klann, a neuroscientist at NYU and the lead researcher of the study, was quoted as saying. “Because our study indicates that postnatal release of mTOR

activity can result in certain perseverative behaviors, it challenges the idea that some aspects of these conditions are developmentally predetermined.” SOURCE: Neuron, 2008 Join our listserv! Don't get your news second hand! Get LINKED! http://lists.autismlink.com/lists