The Autism News | English
By Malathy Iyer | The Times Of India
Mumbai: New research by a team of Bangalore-based scientists has given hope to those with emotional problems caused by the inheritance of a fragile X chromosome. The researchers, for the first time in the world, mapped defective connections between nerve cells in the emotional hub of the brain of mice who had Fragile X Syndrome. The research has just been published in the online edition of the US-based Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
In humans, while a fragile X chromosome may be passed from one generation to the next with no debilitating effects, the syndrome does affect one in 4,000 men and one in 6,000 women. Upto 20% of boys with autism have the condition due to Fragile X.
The syndrome is the most common inherited cause of intellectual impairment and most common genetic cause of autism. Poor emotional response, hyperactivity, LD and attention deficit are other conditions Fragile X can cause.
The research, by a team from the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), shows that medication and therapy could reverse the effects of Fragile X. The NCBS team has shown that even the long-term ravages of the condition could be reversed with medication in mice.
Dr Sumantra Chattarji, who heads the NCBS team of neuro-scientists, said the researchers mapped the cellular basis of emotional problems associated with Fragile X, which is a genetic mutation in the X chromosome. “We have identified novel synaptic defects in the amygdala-the emotional hub of the brain,” Chattarji said. Synaptic connections are those between two nerve cells.
The team found cellular signalling deficient in cells in the amygdala. Incidentally, this is the second important finding by the NCBS team on Fragile X. In 2007, the same scientists identified a specific enzyme that caused Fragile X. It established that inhibiting the enzyme, called P21-Activated Kinase (PAK), reversed the debilitating symptoms of Fragile X in mice.
This time around, the NCBS scientists, along with their collaborators at New York University, studied the synapses in the amygdala. “Using electro-physiological recordings from cells in the amygdala, my student Aparna Suvrathan identified synaptic defects on both sides of the synapses. Not only is there a shortage of glutamate being released, the receptors available to bind glutamate are also below normal levels,” said Chattarji.
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Boy With Autism Saves Choking Friend
The Autism News | English
By FOX NY
Lunch time turned frightening for a boy in Valley Stream, Long Island.
Nicholas Landecho choked on a taco in the school cafeteria. Teachers patted him on the back trying to help, but it was a nine-year-old classmate who ultimately saved Nicholas.
The boys and their mothers appeared on Good Day New York to talk about the event.
“The taco got stuck in my throat. I drank some milk. I went to the aides. I couldn’t breathe, ” said Nicholas. “Marken ran over.”
That’s when Marken Suaza put his arms around Nicholas’ stomach and performed the Heimlich Maneuver.
“I think Nick spit into a garbage can,” said Marken.
The nine-year-old hero has Asperger’s syndrome – a form of autism.
Marken’s mother said she wasn’t surprised her son jumped into action.
“Children with Asperger’s are brilliant. Marken’s inpulsivity-which kids with Asperser’s get a bad rap for having- saved Nicolas’ life,” said Kenia Nunez.
“Nicholas was nervous. I was very happy to hear that Marken ran into action and didn’t think twice to save his friend. We’re so grateful to Nicolas,” said Maria Lendecho.
And how did Marken learn the Heimlich Maneuver?
“By reading the choking posters,” said the boy hero.
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