Children with Autism Have Extra Synapses in Brain

In a recent study published in the journal Neuron, scientists from Columbia University Medical Center found that children and adolescents with autism have a surplus of synapses in the brain due to a slowdown in a normal brain “pruning” process during development. Because synapses are the points where neurons connect and communicate with each other, the excessive synapses may have profound effects on how the brain functions. A drug that restores normal synaptic pruning can improve autistic-like behaviors in mice, researchers found, even when the drug is given after the behaviors appear. Although the drug, rapamycin, has side effects that may preclude its use in people with autism, “…The fact that we can see changes in behavior suggests that autism may still be treatable after a child is diagnosed,” said the study’s senior investigator. To read more about this study, click here.