Criss ‐crossing Autism Spectrum Disorder and Adult Neurogenesis

AbstractAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) comprises a group of multifactorial neurodevelopmental disorders primarily characterized by deficits in social interaction and repetitive behavior. Although the onset is typically in early childhood, ASD poses a life-long challenge for both patients and caretakers. Adult neurogenesis (AN) is the process by which new functional neurons are created from neural stem cells existing in the postnatal brain. The entire event is based on a sequence of cellular processes such as proliferation, specification of cell fate, maturation and, ultimately, synaptic integration into the existing neural circuits. Hence, AN is implicated in structural and functional brain plasticity throughout life. Accumulating evidence shows that impaired AN may underlie some of the abnormal behavioral phenotypes seen in ASD. In this review, we approach the interconnections between the molecular pathways related to AN and ASD. We also discuss existing therapeutic approaches targeting such pathways both in preclinical and clinical studies. A deeper understanding of how ASD and AN reciprocally affect one another could reveal important converging pathways leading to the emergence of psychiatric disorders.
Source: Journal of Neurochemistry - Category: Neuroscience Authors: Tags: REVIEW Source Type: research