Summary: A new study reveals that disrupted dopamine signaling during neural development is linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Researchers found significant correlations between dopamine pathways and neural development in humans and zebrafish models.
The findings highlight the potential for targeted interventions in dopaminergic signaling to treat ASD. This research offers a promising direction for understanding and treating autism.
Key Facts:
- Disrupted Signaling: Dopamine pathway disruptions are linked to ASD development.
- Zebrafish Model: Abnormal dopamine signaling in zebrafish mirrors autism-like behavior.
- Potential Interventions: Targeting dopamine signaling could lead to new autism treatments.
Source: Elsevier
Recent evidence suggests that dopamine plays a crucial role in neural development. In a novel study, investigators demonstrated the link between disrupted developmental dopamine signaling and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Their findings underscore the importance of studying developmental signaling pathways to understand the etiology of ASD, paving the way for potential targeted interventions.
Their findings appear in The American Journal of Pathology.
Lead investigators Lingyan Xing, PhD, and Gang Chen, PhD, Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and the Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, explains, “While dopamine is commonly recognized as a neurotransmitter, its significance in the developmental aspects of autism is largely unexplored.
“Recent studies have highlighted the crucial roles of dopamine and serotonin in development and their importance in the construction of neural circuits. 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.
“Our quest was to uncover a novel therapeutic target that could revolutionize the way we approach autism treatment.”
Investigators studied the role of disrupted dopaminergic signaling in the etiology of ASD by integrating human brain RNA sequencing transcriptome analysis and a zebrafish model, recognized for its high degree of conservation with humans.
To analyze the developmental deficits in ASD systematically, two large publicly available data sets were retrieved from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Gene Expression Omnibus database and RNA sequencing data from Arkinglab.
Transcriptome analysis of human brains revealed significant correlations between changes in dopaminergic signaling pathways and neural developmental signaling in patients with autism.
This suggests a potential link between disrupted developmental dopamine signaling and autism pathology.
To explore this link further researchers used the zebrafish model to study the effects of disrupted dopaminergic signaling on neural circuit development.
They found that perturbations in developmental dopaminergic signaling led to neural circuit abnormalities and behavioral phenotypes reminiscent of autism in zebrafish larvae.
The study also uncovered a potential mechanism by which dopamine impacts neuronal specification through the modulation of integrins.
Dr. Chen comments, “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.
” Furthermore, the unexpected involvement of integrins as downstream targets of dopaminergic signaling provides new insights into the mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disorders.”
Dr. Xing concludes, “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.”
ASD is a developmental disorder that usually manifests itself in early childhood. Although clinical outcomes vary greatly from case to case, autism is characterized by both a restricted interest in social interaction and repetitive behavior. This coincides with disruptions in brain connectivity shown by diffusion tension imaging.
Studies have shown that several neurodevelopmental processes may be affected in ASD, including neurogenesis, neural migration, axon pathfinding, and synaptic formation, all of which can lead to neural circuit disruption.
About this autism research news
Author: Eileen Leahy
Source: Elsevier
Contact: Eileen Leahy – Elsevier
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access.
“Developmental Dopaminergic Signaling Modulates Neural Circuit Formation and Contributes to Autism Spectrum Disorder–Related Phenotypes” by Lingyan Xing et al. American Journal of Pathology
Abstract
Developmental Dopaminergic Signaling Modulates Neural Circuit Formation and Contributes to Autism Spectrum Disorder–Related Phenotypes
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder with a complex etiology. Recent evidence suggests that dopamine plays a crucial role in neural development.
However, whether and how disrupted dopaminergic signaling during development contributes to ASD remains unknown.
In this study, human brain RNA sequencing transcriptome analysis revealed a significant correlation between changes in dopaminergic signaling pathways and neural developmental signaling in ASD patients.
In the zebrafish model, disrupted developmental dopaminergic signaling led to neural circuit abnormalities and behavior reminiscent of autism.
Dopaminergic signaling may impact neuronal specification by potentially modulating integrins.
These findings shed light on the mechanisms underlying the link between disrupted developmental dopamine signaling and ASD, and they point to the possibility of targeting dopaminergic signaling in early development for ASD treatment.
