– Institute for Basic Science
News
– Blocking the glycine transporter SLC6A20 restored important brain signaling and improved social, communication, and repetitive behaviors in autism-related mouse models. The treatment also worked in human brain organoids and showed lasting effects in adult mice, suggesting the brain may remain more treatable later in life than previously thought.
Researchers have uncovered a potential new way to treat autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by restoring the function of an important brain receptor. The study, led by Director Eunjoon Kim of the IBS Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, focused on a glycine transporter known as Slc6a20a/SLC6A20.
The team found that reducing the activity of this transporter could help restore NMDA receptor (NMDAR) function. These receptors play a major role in communication between brain cells and are essential for learning, memory, and other cognitive processes.
Details
A More Targeted Way to Restore Brain Signaling
Reduced NMDAR activity has been linked to several neurological and psychiatric conditions, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), schizophrenia, intellectual disability, and NMDAR encephalitis. Scientists have spent decades searching for ways to improve NMDAR function, but clinical studies have produced inconsistent results. Those setbacks have increased interest in treatments that can act more precisely.
For an NMDA receptor to become fully active, it needs both glutamate and glycine. Earlier treatment strategies tried to raise glycine levels by blocking GlyT1, another transporter that regulates glycine.
Analysis
That approach created problems because GlyT1 is common in parts of the brainstem that help control breathing and movement. As a result, treatments targeting GlyT1 often provided limited benefits and caused unwanted side effects.
The researchers chose a different target. Slc6a20a is found mainly in brain regions involved in cognition, including the cortex and hippocampus. Its more restricted location could make it possible to improve NMDAR activity while reducing effects on other essential brain functions.
Treatment Improves Brain Function and Behavior
Stay informed with the latest news on Wararka.so — your trusted source for Somalia and world news.
