This week the media over-hyped a publication on a potential link between Alzheimer’s and Autism Spectrum Disorder. However, this new study did identify a new treatment target for some forms of ASD. Not all forms, but some forms. Not all forms of ASD have the same underlying neurobiology and while one treatment may help a larger group of people with ASD, they also may not. This week’s podcast explores potential treatment targets in 3 different animal models of ASD.
In recognition of epilepsy awareness month, this week we are interviewing Jill Silverman and Nycole Copping from UC Davis who published a paper looking at the causes and consequences of seizures across 3 different strains of mice, which are identical all but their background genetics. This is important because new animal models of autism are built upon these different background strains, but very little work has been done to really understand how these different tiny changes in genetic background influences response to an environmental factor. In this study the environmental factor was a drug that produces seizures. Two out of the three strains showed seizures and all three showed some behavioral after-effects of the seizure – inducing drug. Therefore, differences in background genetics influenced the outcome of the mice, an effect that is rarely studied. The authors point out what these behaviors are, what they mean, and why animal models are important for understanding ASD and seizures.
Twins with autism, where either one or both is diagnosed, is crucial to understand the role of genetics and the environment to both autism diagnoses and now, autism traits. In a study this week, researchers using data from the California Twins Study examined the genetic and environmental influences of brain development in multiple regions and measures. While estimates of genetic and environmental influences can only be modeled in twins, they can be experimentally tested in animal models. Researchers at the University of Washington investigate what causes the link between air pollution in humans and autism by studying diesel fuel exhaust in pregnant mice. Finally, across all of these disparate animal studies – does anything pull them together. Are these models all one-offs or do they have anything in common? It turns out disruption in normal brain activity is one thing that they have in common, and something that is at the common core of ASD neurobiology.
