A5048722881- Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
- Chromatin Remodeling and Cancer
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
University of Trento
2020
Genome-wide association studies indicated the homeobox-containing transcription factor Engrailed-2 ( En2 ) as a candidate gene for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Accordingly, knock-out −/− mice show anatomical and behavioral “ASD-like” features, including decreased sociability learning deficits. The molecular pathways underlying these deficits in are not known. Deficits signaling involving neurofibromin extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK) have been associated with impaired learning. Here...
Impaired function of GABAergic interneurons, and the subsequent alteration excitation/inhibition balance, is thought to contribute autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Altered numbers interneurons reduced expression GABA receptors has been detected in brain ASD subjects mouse models ASD. We previously showed a interneuron markers parvalbumin (PV) somatostatin (SST) forebrain adult mice lacking Engrailed2 gene (En2-/- mice). Here, we extended this analysis postnatal day (P) 30 by using situ...