Researchers
from Johns Hopkins have made a discovery involving how our brain transmits
signals within itself. The gene found is
used in the formation of our brains circuitry.
This is a platform that can be used to detect and treat debilitating
human conditions like schizophrenia and autism.
The technique involved testing many genes simultaneously to find their
particular role in brain development and function. The number and formation of synapses seemed to
be directly correlated to certain genes.
The gene LRP6 was found to affect the excitatory synapses which are
correlated with the aging and deterioration of the brain. The identification, study, and manipulation
of this gene could allow the understanding of how the brain ages and hopefully
ways to counteract its degeneration.
