Discovery of a New Drug Target Could Lead to Novel Treatment for Severe Autism (IMAGE)

Penn State

Discovery of a New Drug Target Could Lead to Novel Treatment for Severe Autism

Caption

Penn State University scientists have discovered a novel drug target and have rescued functional deficits in human nerve cells derived from patients with Rett Syndrome, a severe form of autism-spectrum disorder. The research, led by Gong Chen, professor of biology and the Verne M. Willaman Chair in Life Sciences at Penn State, could lead to a new treatment for Rett Syndrome and other forms of autism-spectrum disorders. A paper describing the research will be published on Jan. 4, 2016 in the online Early Edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. In this composite image, a human nerve cell derived from a patient with Rett syndrome shows significantly decreased levels of KCC2 compared to a control cell.

Credit

Gong Chen lab, Penn State University

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