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Society for Neuroscience 2009

SFN 2009

Mounting evidence links language pathway to autism

by  /  26 October 2009
A pathway involved in language development is increasingly proving to be important in autism, suggest a series of new studies on cellular and behavioral aspects of the disorder.
SFN 2009

Enriched environment improves symptoms of Rett

by  /  23 October 2009
Giving mouse models of Rett syndrome access to toys, wheels and contact with other mice rescues motor skill and other deficits characteristic of the disorder, according to results presented in a poster session Wednesday at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in Chicago.
SFN 2009

Gene on chromosome 22 leads to autism mouse model

by  /  22 October 2009
Mice lacking a gene located in the chromosomal region 22q13 — which has been linked to autism — have motor learning and social deficits reminiscent of the disorder, according to unpublished findings presented in a poster session yesterday at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in Chicago.
October 2009
SFN 2009

Antibodies to fetal proteins trigger autism features

by  /  21 October 2009

Antibodies directed against the fetal brain are present in some mothers of children with autism, confirming previous findings and suggesting that the antibodies could be used as a marker for the disorder, according to unpublished research presented yesterday at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in Chicago.

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SFN 2009

Fragile X mice marked by immature synapses

by  /  21 October 2009

Young mice that mimic fragile X syndrome have immature and unstable dendritic spines, the neuronal branches that receive signals from other cells, according to unpublished research presented Tuesday at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in Chicago.

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SFN 2009

Postmortem study hints at two types of autism

by  /  21 October 2009

The brains of people with autism show high levels of inflammation compared with controls, suggests a study of postmortem brain tissue from 11 individuals with autism, presented at a poster session Monday at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in Chicago.

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SFN 2009

MeCP2 loss ups inhibitory signaling

by  /  21 October 2009

Selectively disrupting an autism-related gene in cultured human neurons causes a dramatic imbalance of excitation and inhibition in cell signaling, according to unpublished results presented today at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in Chicago.

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SFN 2009

Neuroligin mutation triggers oxidative stress

by  /  20 October 2009

Deleting a neuronal protein associated with autism causes oxidative stress — characterized by an excess of free radicals — which has been linked to diseases such as diabetes and Alzheimer’s, according to new research in worms. The results were presented yesterday at a poster session at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in Chicago.

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SFN 2009

Lack of corpus callosum linked to autistic features

by  /  20 October 2009

People born without the large bundle of nerve fibers that bridges the brain’s hemispheres have trouble identifying fearful faces, and don’t look preferentially at others’ eyes to perform this task, according to research presented Sunday at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in Chicago.

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SFN 2009

Video: NIH director bemoans ‘lack of trust’ in autism field

by  /  20 October 2009

On Saturday, a top government official resigned from the Interagency Autism Coordination Committee, the body of scientists and advocates that’s responsible for guiding all autism research funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Institute director Francis Collins responds.

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SFN 2009

Immune activation triggers autism features in mice

by  /  20 October 2009

Mice carrying an autism-associated mutation show impaired social interactions and dramatic changes in brain size when their immune systems are activated, according to research presented yesterday at a poster session at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in Chicago.

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SFN 2009

Video: The challenge of autism’s enormous variability

by  /  20 October 2009

After a Monday afternoon poster session at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in Chicago, Noboru Hiroi talked about the challenges of following up human genetic findings in the mouse.

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SFN 2009

Language gene linked to interneuron growth

by  /  20 October 2009

A gene tied to autism and language impairment is crucial for the early development and migration of inhibitory interneurons, according to research presented Monday at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in Chicago.

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