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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Tag: mouse models

November 2013

Gut problems in autism may stem from neuronal connections

by  /  12 November 2013

Researchers have shown for the first time that glitches in a gene expressed at junctions between neurons can cause gut problems in mice. The unpublished results were presented Tuesday at the 2013 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in San Diego.

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Resting-state maps bridge mouse models, humans

by  /  12 November 2013

Researchers have produced images of connectivity during resting-state activation, which occurs while individuals are resting quietly in a scanner, in mouse brains. The new technique was presented Monday at the 2013 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in San Diego.

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Study spells caution for bone marrow transplants for Rett

by  /  12 November 2013

Bone marrow transplants, which have been shown to arrest symptoms of Rett syndrome in young mice, have little effect on older mice, according to preliminary results presented Monday at the 2013 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in San Diego. The findings suggest that this approach may not be a viable treatment for those who already have symptoms of the disorder.

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Blinking mice map cerebellum’s role in autism

by  /  12 November 2013

An eye test that reveals defects in the cerebellum — a brain region that integrates sensory information to fine-tune movement — may help researchers home in on the brain circuits disrupted in autism, according to unpublished findings presented Monday at the 2013 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in San Diego.

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Hormone reverses autism-like features in mouse model

by  /  11 November 2013

Insulin-like growth factor 2, a hormone involved in fetal growth, reverses abnormal social behaviors, repetitive behaviors and memory impairments in BTBR mice, a popular model of autism. The unpublished results were presented Monday at the 2013 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in San Diego.

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With training, autism rat models overcome hearing problems

by  /  11 November 2013

Rat models of autism have a weak and sluggish brain response to speech sounds, but behavioral training can improve their performance. The unpublished results, presented Sunday at the 2013 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in San Diego, suggest that a similar approach may benefit people with the disorder.

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Photograph of a tadpole swimming.

First tadpole model of autism surfaces at conference

by  /  11 November 2013

Researchers have recreated one of the most popular rodent models of autism in a decidedly slimier animal: the tadpole. The unpublished study was presented Sunday at the 2013 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in San Diego.

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Where will the focus on SHANK genes lead?

by  /  11 November 2013

Geneticists react to discoveries and identify next steps for one of autism’s most promising candidate genes.

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Activity in cerebellum silences seizures in mice

by  /  10 November 2013

Activating cells in the cerebellum, a brain region usually associated with movement, eliminates seizures in a mouse strain that normally has hundreds of seizures a day, according to results presented Saturday at the 2013 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in San Diego.

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Studies on 22q11.2 region link genes, circuits, behavior

by  /  10 November 2013

Deletion of a gene in 22q11.2, a chromosomal region linked to autism and schizophrenia, leads to small head size in mice, according to research presented Saturday at the 2013 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in San Diego. Mice with a large deletion in this region show disrupted brain connections, and struggle with learning and memory.

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