Essential workers: A new study details the molecular pathways that connect cortical interneuron dysfunction to neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism and epilepsy. Variants of the ARX gene, which encodes a transcription factor, lead to impaired cell cycles and altered migration of interneurons. The LOM1 gene, a downstream target, plays a role in how ARX affects […]
A new type of progenitor cell found deep in the developing human brain spawns a steady supply of inhibitory interneurons and glia, according to a new study. The findings point to a potential origin of the inhibitory imbalance linked to autism and other conditions. The study is a “tour de force” and “adds an important […]
Microglia safeguard the proliferation and survival of young GABAergic interneurons by secreting insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), according to a new study of human brain tissue and organoids. The finding points to the potential origin of the brain signaling imbalance implicated in autism and other conditions. Microglia contribute to brain development, past findings show, but […]
