DNA Genes Linked To Autism

 In an article published, a new genetic inquiry has revealed that more than 70 genes are strongly identical with autism, and more than 250 are linked to the condition. Researchers have found that these genes are related predominantly to developmental delay and tend to be operating in the early development of nerve cells, like autism-related genes that also tend to play a role in more mature neurons. Genes that are analogous to
autism are also more likely to be associated with genes that increase a person’s risk of neurological and psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. Based on findings, researchers believe that a genetically targeted accession to autism will more than likely help patients with autism because the treatment that works for such individuals carrying the mutation for autism in one gene may not entirely work for other individuals with a mutation in a different gene.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been one of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders in children and adults, with that being said, for an individual to have almost 70 genes that are identical with autism that is frightening to know. Genetic testing can be done to individuals who were diagnosed with ASD, but sometimes current genetic testing will not give answers to everyone. In the United States, there are a lot of individuals that are diagnosed with ASD and grow up to be high functioning individuals. 

Researchers Show that Thoughts Can Control Genes

      Researchers have formed a new gene network that can be controlled simply by your thoughts. This was made possible by thought-specific brain waves that control the conversion of genes into proteins or in another term, gene expression. Martin Fussenegger, professor of biotechnology, and Bio-engineering at the department of Biosystems heads this project. Professor Fusseneger says the inspiration for this idea came through a video game where the player uses a sensor on their forehead to control game-play activity.

      But how does this all work? An EEG headset was to record the brain-wave activities. These specific thoughts were analyzed and transmitted wirelessly  to a controller. Then, a light is emitted from an LED lamp in a near infrared range that illuminates a culture chamber containing genetically modified cells. The experiments were done on mice and a human model was used to distinguish between the humans. To regulate the quantity of released proteins, the various mice were separated by its ability to express genes.
     This article raises many positive solutions to diseases. For example, this could potentially give way to neurological diseases such as chronic headaches, epilepsy, etc. These specific brain-waves could maybe be detected in early stages of development of a disease. Finding it in an early stage will give doctors a better opportunity to combat these problems.

Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141111111317.htm

Related Article: http://www.transparentcorp.com/products/np/brainwaves.php

Manic Mice

Researchers have noticed a correlation in mice and humans involving the duplication of a single gene and the excess proteins formed as a result of this. In laboratories it has been seen that mice exhibiting this gene duplicate often suffer from seizures and show manic behavior. A study was done that treated these mice with a widely used drug and it was observed to have successfully treated these symptoms and brought them back to normal health and temperament. It has been seen that in many humans suffering from ADHD, aspbergers syndrome, autism, and other neurological disorders, that they often have a duplicate of the SHANK3 gene, which also causes the manic personalities in mice.  



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

Autism-Like Behaviors Reversed in Mice: New Hope for Understanding Autism

Scientists at McGill university and the University of Montreal have found a link between autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and protein synthesis. The researchers found that mice with abnormally high synthesis of a certain group of neuronal proteins called neuroligins had showed the symptoms similar to ASD. The scientists have also found that these autism-like symptoms can be reversed by introducing protein inhibiting compounds, or by with gene therapy that targets these neruoligins. According to the article, 1 in 88 children, 1 in 54 boys, and 1 in 252 girls suffer from autism spectrum disorders. Professor Nahum Sonenberg from the team of researchers noted that the reason for the increase in the synthesis of neuroligins was due to a deletion of a gene controlling initiation of protein synthesis. Neuroligins are essential proteins, needed for the transfer of information between neurons. The team of researchers also found that the dis-regulated synthesis of neuroligins largely increases synaptic activity,which results in an "imbalance between excitation and inhibition in single brain cells."

It seems that in current times, more children are being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. If prevented, the quality of life and opportunities for an individual drastically improves. A plethora of myths are constantly made as to the origin of autism, from substances in tap water to childhood vaccinations. Up to recent research, the cause to autism has been relatively unknown, and the thought of a cure was fantasy. This research may have opened up a door to possibly discovering the root of the mysterious and vague autism. There is not one type of autism, most victims exhibit different symptoms. The movement toward using genetics for therapeutic treatment is an exciting and fascinating.

Human Testing May Now Be Possible

"Human-on-a-chip"  is a groundbreaking system in the bio-medical industry.  Imagine the ability to bypass the long process of animal and human trials in the testing of drugs? Researchers at the University of Central Florida discovered a way to use stem cells to grow neuromuscular junctions between human muscle cells and human spinal cord cells.  This new breakthrough in science allows us to create miniature fully functioning organs. Testing on human organs opposed to mice and other organisms cuts out any reason of doubt in clinical trials. This may hold the key in the treatment of of many spinal cord injuries and diseases such as Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which is a disease of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement. James Hickman and his colleagues at UCF have received about $1.4 million in grant funding from The National Institutes of Health, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the Federal Drug Administration to help push this research forward.