PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

New insights that link Fragile X syndrome and autism spectrum disorders

Crucial role for FMRP (Fragile X mental retardation protein) in embryonic development of the brain cortex

2014-11-17
(Press-News.org) Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common cause of inherited intellectual disability (ID), as well as the most frequent monogenic cause of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). FXS is caused by the absence or incorrect production of the protein FMRP (Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein). Scientists at VIB and KU Leuven (Belgium), in collaboration with Tor Vergata University (Italy) and VU University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands) have pinpointed a novel role that FMRP plays during the embryonic development of the brain cortex. The study reveals that the absence of FMRP leads to a delay in the proper formation of the cortex and shows that FMRP is responsible for transformation of neurons into a "locomotion mode" to reach their final position in the cortex. This delay in the neurodevelopmental program has an effect on the early postnatal life and the fine-tuning of brain connectivity. "Our research underlines the critical role of FMRP in brain development, more specifically in the correct positioning of brain cells during the early stages of development of the cortex. These findings contribute to our current understanding of Fragile X and might provide insights into the cellular mechanisms affected in patients with Fragile X that have autism spectrum disorders and epilepsy: two neurological disorders marked by affected cortical development and brain connectivity" says Claudia Bagni (VIB/KU Leuven/University Tor Vergata) who led the work. The discovery in brief: FMRP, an important player in the development of our brain The study of the Fragile X syndrome (FXS) has been the research object of Claudia Bagni and her team for more than 15 years. Using a mouse model for FXS, her collaborators Giorgio La Fata, Annette Gärtner and Nuria Domínguez-Iturza could prove that FMRP regulates the maturation (multipolar to bipolar) and positioning of the brain cells in the cortex during embryonic development. Furthermore the team unraveled the molecular mechanism through which FMRP regulates this processes and were able, upon the reintegration of FMRP in the embryo, to normalize the early postnatal brain wiring deficits. The brain cortex is the domain of the brain where information from the rest of the body is received, processed and interpreted. The elaborated information is then converted into thoughts and concrete driving signals for the body. Thus, mistakes or delays in the correct development of the brain cortex are thought to lead to an impaired ability to interpret and process information required for our daily life. Because affected brain connectivity is a hallmark of ASD, this study might explain why some patients with FXS have autism-related symptoms.

FMRP is a key regulator of cell shape and polarity The team could demonstrate that in a healthy brain FMRP assures the correct production of the protein N-Cadherin. In the absence of FMRP the levels of N-cadherin are reduced with the consequence that neuronal cells are delayed in their maturation, a developmental program called multipolar to bipolar transition, which is prerequisite for correct positioning in the cortex during development. In collaboration with Carlos Dotti (VIB/KULeuven) and Meredith Rhiannon (VU University of Amsterdam), the team showed that the re-introduction of FMRP or N-cadherin before birth normalized the maturation and positioning of the brain cells and the wiring deficits observed at early postnatal stages.

Into sophisticated MRI for diagnosis of intellectual disabilities Finally, in collaboration with the team of Uwe Himmelreich (MOSAIC, KU Leuven) the VIB/KUL/TV scientists combined the cellular and molecular approaches with high-resolution DTI-MRI (Diffusion-Tensor Imaging - Magnetic Resonance Imaging). Currently, DTI-MRI is one of the most powerful tools to anatomically investigate brain connectivity, as it can be used to study the orientation and integrity of white matter tracts. Taking advantage of an extremely powerful MRI system for small animals, which enables to scan the brains of FXS mice, the scientists obtained structural information of the juvenile FXS mouse brain that revealed abnormalities in the connectivity of the cortex.

Claudia Bagni: "Our observations, while contributing further to the understanding of the wide spectrum of FXS symptomatology, strengthen the importance of embryonic development for postnatal brain activity and circuitry in FXS and related disorders. Impaired brain connectivity has been recognized as a candidate key defect in ASD. The future challenge will be to understand how to ameliorate those deficits at very early postnatal stages, for example "enriched environmental conditions" and also to establish sophisticated MRI strategies with prognostic value for FXS to ultimately guide parental counseling."

INFORMATION:



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

New technique to help produce next-generation photonic chips

New technique to help produce next-generation photonic chips
2014-11-17
Researchers from the University of Southampton have developed a new technique to help produce more reliable and robust next generation photonic chips. Photonic chips made from silicon will play a major role in future optical networks for worldwide data traffic. The high refractive index of silicon makes optical structures the size of a fraction of the diameter of a human hair possible. Squeezing more and more optical structures for light distribution, modulation, detection and routing into smaller chip areas allows for higher data rates at lower fabrication costs. As ...

Worldwide ship traffic up 300 percent since 1992

2014-11-17
WASHINGTON, DC--Maritime traffic on the world's oceans has increased four-fold over the past 20 years, likely causing more water, air and noise pollution on the open seas, according to a new study quantifying global ship traffic. The research used satellite data to estimate the number of vessels on the ocean every year between 1992 and 2012. The number of ships traversing the oceans grew by 60 percent between 1992 and 2002. Shipping traffic grew even faster during the second decade of the study, peaking at rate of increase of 10 percent per year in 2011. Traffic went ...

Where will big neuroscience take us?

2014-11-17
We're entering the era of big neuroscience. In a little over a year, the United States, Europe, Japan and Israel have launched brain research projects with big budgets and bold ambitions. Several other countries are expected to follow suit. But what has propelled neuroscience to the vanguard, and what impact will these initiatives have on the field? Leaders from three of these projects--the U.S. BRAIN Initiative, Europe's Human Brain Project and Japan's Brain/MINDS--discussed these and other questions ahead of this week's special session on global brain initiatives at ...

Three new ornamental dogwoods introduced

Three new ornamental dogwoods introduced
2014-11-17
KNOXVILLE, TN -- In the nursery and landscape industries, flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa), and their hybrids are the most popular and economically significant members of the genus Cornus. The deciduous trees are highly valued for their spring display of pink, red, or white bracts, brilliant red fall foliage, and exfoliating bark. In the United States alone, retail and wholesale sales of dogwoods account for more than $30 million dollars annually. In the past, flowering dogwoods were severely affected by dogwood anthracnose and powdery ...

Adjusting Earth's thermostat, with caution

Adjusting Earths thermostat, with caution
2014-11-17
Cambridge, Mass. - November 17, 2014 - A vast majority of scientists believe that the Earth is warming at an unprecedented rate and that human activity is almost certainly the dominant cause. But on the topics of response and mitigation, there is far less consensus. One of the most controversial propositions for slowing the increase in temperatures here on Earth is to manipulate the atmosphere above. Specifically, some scientists believe it should be possible to offset the warming effect of greenhouses gases by reflecting more of the sun's energy back into space. The ...

Side effects of possible anti-cancer strategy discovered

2014-11-17
This news release is available in German. The Malt1 protein carries out a variety of tasks in immune cells, known as lymphocytes. Among other things, it acts as an enzyme - specifically, a protease - that breaks down messenger substances and thus controls their quantity. Until now it was not known what role the specific protease function plays in the development of immune cells. Several years ago Prof. Jürgen Ruland and his team at TUM's Klinikum rechts der Isar turned their attention to this question. Blockade as a therapeutic approach The scientists were ...

Stenospermocarpic fruit linked to unmarketable black walnuts

2014-11-17
COLUMBIA, MO -- Black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) is native to much of the eastern United States and is highly valued for its nuts and timber. Black walnut fruit generally reach most of their size by mid-August and mature by late September or early October. The fruit are then harvested, hulled, and dried in-shell before cracking for commercial markets. Walnut growers use the term "ambers" to describe poorly filled, shriveled eastern black walnut kernels. These "ambered kernels" are not marketable, resulting in economic loss to commercial growers. Although researchers have ...

Women's fertility linked to detox element in diet

2014-11-17
University of Adelaide research has for the first time shown how much of a critical role the natural antioxidant selenium plays at the earliest stages of a woman's fertility. The discovery has been made in joint research involving the University's School of Chemistry and Physics and the Robinson Research Institute. For her PhD in Chemistry at the University of Adelaide, Melanie Ceko investigated the role and location of selenium in the ovary, and a specific protein that includes selenium. The results of her study show how important selenium is to the development of ...

One firm's loss is another's gain

One firms loss is anothers gain
2014-11-17
EAST LANSING, Mich. --- Good news for savvy businesses: Customers who walk through your doors unhappy with another firm's service can be won back with simple gestures of goodwill. Consider a dissatisfied airline passenger. A hotel can score loyalty points by providing the traveler a room upgrade or perhaps even a simple apology for the airline's failure, said Clay Voorhees, associate professor of marketing at Michigan State University. In a study published online in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Voorhees and fellow researchers refute past findings ...

Study on hospital stays contributes to Hispanic Paradox

2014-11-17
For nearly three decades, researchers have pondered the Hispanic Mortality Paradox -- why Hispanics in the U.S. tend to outlive non-Hispanic whites by several years, despite having, in general, lower income and educational attainment levels that are associated with shorter lives. New research suggests that the Hispanic Mortality Paradox may be related to illness survival and recovery advantages. A study by researchers from the University of North Texas and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center found that Hispanics were hospitalized significantly fewer total ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Exercise as an anti-ageing intervention to avoid detrimental impact of mental fatigue

UMass Amherst Nursing Professor Emerita honored as ‘Living Legend’

New guidelines aim to improve cystic fibrosis screening

Picky eaters by day, buffet by night: Butterfly, moth diets sync to plant aromas

Pennington Biomedical’s Dr. Leanne Redman honored with the E. V. McCollum Award from the American Society for Nutrition

CCNY physicists uncover electronic interactions mediated via spin waves

Researchers’ 3D-printing formula may transform future of foam

Nurture more important than nature for robotic hand

Drug-delivering aptamers target leukemia stem cells for one-two knockout punch

New study finds that over 95% of sponsored influencer posts on Twitter were not disclosed

New sea grant report helps great lakes fish farmers navigate aquaculture regulations

Strain “trick” improves perovskite solar cells’ efficiency

How GPS helps older drivers stay on the roads

Estrogen and progesterone stimulate the body to make opioids

Dancing with the cells – how acoustically levitating a diamond led to a breakthrough in biotech automation

Machine learning helps construct an evolutionary timeline of bacteria

Cellular regulator of mRNA vaccine revealed... offering new therapeutic options

Animal behavioral diversity at risk in the face of declining biodiversity

Finding their way: GPS ignites independence in older adult drivers

Antibiotic resistance among key bacterial species plateaus over time

‘Some insects are declining but what’s happening to the other 99%?’

Powerful new software platform could reshape biomedical research by making data analysis more accessible

Revealing capillaries and cells in living organs with ultrasound

American College of Physicians awards $260,000 in grants to address equity challenges in obesity care

Researchers from MARE ULisboa discover that the European catfish, an invasive species in Portugal, has a prolonged breeding season, enhancing its invasive potential

Rakesh K. Jain, PhD, FAACR, honored with the 2025 AACR Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Research

Solar cells made of moon dust could power future space exploration

Deporting immigrants may further shrink the health care workforce

Border region emergency medical services in migrant emergency care

Resident physician intentions regarding unionization

[Press-News.org] New insights that link Fragile X syndrome and autism spectrum disorders
Crucial role for FMRP (Fragile X mental retardation protein) in embryonic development of the brain cortex