Smoothly functioning synapses are key to normal every day functions in the body, from socializing to normal decision-making skills. Where scientists used to believe the normal neurological disorders were instances of synapses malfunctioning, the gene SHANK3 has come under focus in the past few years. SHANK3 is "a gene that encodes one of the 'architectural' proteins that help to ensure that messages are relayed properly between cells". After various treatments, the researchers gave the mice valproate, an anti-convolsive and mood stabilizing drug often used in individuals with bipolar disorder or suffering from epilepsy. These mice appeared to have been completely treated for their neurological disorders through this medication. What this study showed is that some neurological disorders and psychiatric syndromes are a product of excess SHANK3 protein that can be correctly treated.
Article: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=extra-gene-makes-mice-manic
Sub-article: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24153177
i had always taken mania to be more of a chemical disorder than one that corresponded more to the interacting between genes expression in synapses functioning. hopefully they can use this information on SHANK3 to create viable drugs
ReplyDeleteIt is helpful in individuals who have a hard time focussing that they can isolate this gene and identify it to help even more neurological diseases. It is even more fascinating that they can discover this through mouse studies in order to perfect the human understanding of SHANK3.
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