Dopamine Linked to Brain Development in ASD

Summary: A recent study links autism spectrum disease (ASD) to disruptions in dopamine transmission during brain development. In human and zebrafish models, the researchers discovered strong associations between dopaminergic pathways and brain growth.

The results demonstrate the possibility of treating ASD with focused treatments in dopaminergic transmission. This study points to a promising route for our knowledge of and approach to treating autism.

Important Details:

1. Disrupted Signaling: The development of ASD is associated with disturbances in the dopamine system.
2. Zebrafish Model: Autism-like behavior is mirrored by aberrant dopamine signaling in zebrafish.
3. Possible Interventions: New therapies for autism may result from focusing on dopamine signaling.

Elsevier, the source

According to recent research, dopamine is essential for the growth of neurons. Researchers have shown that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and impaired developmental dopamine signaling are related in a recent study.

Their findings open the door for future targeted therapies by highlighting the significance of researching developmental signaling pathways to comprehend the genesis of ASD.

The American Journal of Pathology published their findings.

Lead scientists Lingyan Xing, PhD, and Gang Chen, PhD, from the Ministry of Education’s Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration and Jiangsu’s Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University’s NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, explain,  “While dopamine is commonly recognized as a neurotransmitter, its significance in the developmental aspects of autism is largely unexplored.”

Recent research has emphasized the critical functions of serotonin and dopamine in neuronal circuit building as well as in development. Furthermore, research has shown that pregnant women who use medicines related to dopamine have a higher chance of having a kid with autism.

“Armed with these tantalizing clues, we embarked on a mission to bridge the gap between dopamine’s known functions and its potential impact on neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly autism.

Our quest was to uncover a novel therapeutic target that could revolutionize the way we approach autism treatment.”

Using a zebrafish model, which is known to have a high degree of human conservation, and human brain RNA sequencing transcriptome analysis, researchers investigated the significance of disturbed dopaminergic signaling in the etiology of ASD.

Two sizable publically accessible data sets were obtained from Arkinglab’s RNA sequencing data and the National Center for Biotechnology Information’s (NCBI) Gene Expression Omnibus database to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the developmental deficiencies in ASD.o

Significant relationships between modifications in dopaminergic signaling pathways and neural developmental signaling in autistic patients were found by transcriptome analysis of human brains.

This points to a possible connection between autistic pathophysiology and impaired developmental dopamine signaling.

Researchers employed the zebrafish model to investigate this connection further by looking at how impaired dopaminergic transmission affects the formation of brain circuits.

They discovered that in zebrafish larvae, disruptions in the development of dopaminergic transmission resulted in aberrant brain circuits and autistic-like behavioral traits.

The investigation also revealed a putative method by which dopamine influences neuronal specification by integrin regulation.

Dr. Chen comments, “We were surprised by the extent of the impact that dopaminergic signaling has on neuronal specification in zebrafish, potentially laying the groundwork for circuit disruption in autism-related phenotype.

Furthermore, the unexpected involvement of integrins as downstream targets of dopaminergic signaling provides new insights into the mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disorders.”

Dr. Xing concludes, “This research sheds light on the role of dopamine in neural circuit formation during early development, specifically in the context of autism. Understanding these mechanisms could lead to novel therapeutic interventions targeting dopaminergic signaling pathways to improve outcomes in individuals with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders.”

ASD is a developmental disease that typically shows symptoms in the early years of life. Autism is characterized by both a restricted interest in social engagement and repetitive behavior, although clinical outcomes vary widely from case to case. Diffusion tension imaging reveals abnormalities in brain connections at this same time.

Numerous neurodevelopmental processes, including neurogenesis, neuronal migration, axon pathfinding, and synaptic formation—all of which can result in disruption of brain circuits—have been linked to ASD, according to studies.

For more information: Developmental Dopaminergic Signaling Modulates Neural Circuit Formation and Contributes to Autism Spectrum Disorder–Related Phenotypes, American Journal of Pathology, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajpath.2024.02.014