Scientists discover a brain signal that may trigger autism’s domino effect
Why it matters: This discovery uncovers a potential trigger for autism's domino effect, offering a clearer path for targeted treatments.
- The Hebrew University of Jerusalem researchers discovered that nitric oxide, usually a helpful signaling molecule, can act like a "stuck button" in some forms of autism.
- Rising nitric oxide activity can alter the protective protein TSC2, which normally regulates the mTOR pathway, leading to its overactivity.
- The mTOR pathway, crucial for cell growth and protein production, becomes overactive when TSC2 is weakened, a state long suspected in ASD.
- Blocking this specific chain reaction successfully restored cellular activity to a healthier balance in experiments, pointing to a promising target for future interventions.
- Prof. Haitham Amal and PhD student Shashank Ojha led the study, published in Molecular Psychiatry, highlighting a key biochemical process called S-nitrosylation as central to how nitric oxide alters TSC2.
Scientists at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem have identified a surprising molecular chain reaction in the brain, where elevated nitric oxide levels can trigger a cascade of changes, weakening a protective protein (TSC2) and leading to overactive mTOR signaling—a pathway long implicated in autism spectrum disorder. This discovery provides a clearer biological pathway linking risk factors to brain changes in some forms of autism, offering a new focus for research and potential treatments.
