Stem cells make too many or too few brain cells in people with autism
An analysis of brain stem cells of people with autism spectrum disorder shows evidence of irregularities in very early brain development that may contribute to the neuropsychiatric disorder.
As reported in Stem Cell Reports, scientists examined brain stem cells—known as neural precursor cells (NPCs)—of people with ASD and found the NPCs—responsible for producing the three main kinds of brain cells: neurons, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes—either overproduce or underproduce the number of permanent brain cells.
The study focused on the stem cell activity of five people with ASD. ASD is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties with social interactions and communication and the presence of repetitive and restricted behaviors. Most ASD cases are idiopathic. About 15% to 20% of ASD cases are caused by specific genetic mutations.
Scientists have actually measured the proliferation of human neural precursors. This knowledge may be used as a biomarker in the future, which could signal when to introduce therapy or identify signaling pathways to target with drugs.
https://www.futurity.org/autism-spectrum-disorder-brain-cells-stem-cells-2750282-2/
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