ASD: Towards a Better Understanding of the Molecular Mechanisms of Autism

Images showing the human brain anatomy in two axial slices obtained by MRI ( left ), then the corresponding molecular images showing a larger number of mGluR5 receptors in the brain of an adult subject with ASD ( right ) compared to a control subject ( middle ). Laurent Galineau While great progress has been made in recent years in the understanding of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), its underlying molecular mechanisms remain fairly poorly documented. Several hypotheses have been put forward regarding the possible dysfunction of certain neurotransmitters in the brain, but rigorous scientific studies are still lacking in order to validate them. In a new publication, researchers from Inserm and Université de Tours at the Imaging & Brain unit have shown that specific receptors of glutamate, one of the most important neurotransmitters in the nervous system, are expressed in large quantities in the brains of adults with ASD. However, this overexpression of the receptors does not occur at earlier stages of development. The study, sponsored by Tours university hospital and published in Molecular Psychiatry , paves the way for a better understanding of ASD to help refine therapeutic research. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is caused by neurodevelopmental particularities and affects around 700 000 people in France.