Scientists have made a breakthrough in our understanding of the neuroscience behind autism spectrum disorders that promises to "revolutionize" the way we approach treatment, scientists say. The discovery revolves around an important chemical messenger that we tend to associate with pleasure and reward: dopamine.
Autism spectrum disorders are a diverse group of conditions characterized by some degree of difficulty with social interaction and communication. They affect roughly 1 in 100 children worldwide, according to data from the World Health Organization.
There are many potential causes of autism spectrum disorders, and both environmental and genetic factors are thought to play a role. A lot of questions still exist about the biochemical mechanisms that underlie these conditions, but recent evidence suggests that dopamine, the famous "feel-good" hormone, might play a role.
"While dopamine is commonly recognized as a neurotransmitter, its significance in the developmental aspects of autism is largely unexplored," said lead investigators Lingyan Xing and Gang Chen of China's Nantong University in a statement.
"Recent studies have highlighted the crucial roles of dopamine and serotonin in [neurotypical brain] development and their importance in the construction of neural circuits," they continued. "In addition, studies have indicated that the use of dopamine-related drugs during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of autism in children.
"Armed with these tantalizing clues, we embarked on a mission to bridge the gap between dopamine's known functions and its potential impact on neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly autism," Lingyan and Gang said.
In a study published in The American Journal of Pathology, Lingyan, Gang and their colleagues investigated the role of dopamine signaling in autism development. "Our quest was to uncover a novel therapeutic target that could revolutionize the way we approach autism treatment," Lingyan and Gang said.
The study consisted of two parts. The first involved analyzing changes in gene expression in the brains of people with autism. The second used zebra fish models to explore how perturbations in dopamine signaling could produce autism-like behaviors.
In the first part of the study, the team found that patients with autism showed changes in the expression of genes involved in dopamine-signaling pathways and brain development. The authors say this indicated a potential link between dopamine disruption and autism development.
To explore this link further, the team re-created these disrupted dopamine pathways in the brains of zebra fish larvae and found that the larvae with signal disruption developed brain circuit abnormalities and behaviors reminiscent of human autism.
"We were surprised by the extent of the impact that dopaminergic signaling has on neuronal specification in zebrafish, potentially laying the groundwork for circuit disruption in autism-related phenotype," Gang wrote.
Lingyan added: "This research sheds light on the role of dopamine in neural circuit formation during early development, specifically in the context of autism. Understanding these mechanisms could lead to novel therapeutic interventions targeting dopaminergic signaling pathways to improve outcomes in individuals with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders."
Do you have a tip on a health story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about autism? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
