A new study has found that an epilepsy drug may help reduce symptoms of autism.
- Rodents lacking MYT1L exhibited autism-like behaviors.
- Neurons deficient in the MYT1L protein produced an excess of sodium channels that led to electrophysiological hyperactivation – a common symptom of autism.
- Lamotrigine, a molecule used against epilepsy and capable of blocking the activity of sodium channels, slowed down the symptoms of autism in mice.
Autism is characterized by social interaction and communication disorders as well as behavioral abnormalities such as a reluctance to change or a tendency to repeat behaviors. The mechanisms of autism still remain quite mysterious.
However, a team from theHector Institute for Translational Brain Research (HITBR) has just made a promising discovery: lamotrigine (Lamictal® and its generic forms), an anticonvulsant drug against epilepsy, could help reduce symptoms.
Autism: the absence of a protein could explain certain symptoms
Scientist Moritz Mall has been studying the role of the MYT1L protein in various neuronal diseases for many years. Indeed, MYT1L mutations have been found in several neurological disorders such as schizophrenia and epilepsy, but also in brain malformations. This time, the researcher wanted to verify the role of the protein in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). To do this, his team deactivated the gene both in mice and in human nerve cells in the laboratory.
Rodents lacking MYT1L suffered from brain abnormalities, such as a thinner cerebral cortex. The animals also showed several behavioral changes similar to those on the autism spectrum such as social deficits or hyperactivity.
In addition, the researchers demonstrated that neurons deficient in MYT1L protein produced an excess of sodium channels. The latter, usually restricted to cardiac muscle cells, are essential for electrical conductivity and cell function, as they allow sodium ions to cross the cell membrane. Additionally, nerve cells that overproduce these sodium channels, lead to electrophysiological hyperactivation – a common symptom of autism.
Epilepsy drug reduces behavioral problems
Some drugs are able to block the activity of sodium channels such as lamotrigine, used to prevent epileptic seizures. The team thus had the idea of giving this molecule to genetically modified rodents. “When MYT1L-deficient nerve cells were treated with lamotrigine, their electrophysiological activity returned to normal. In mice, the drug was even able to curb ASD-associated behaviors such as hyperactivity”explains the team in a press release.
“Apparently, drug treatment in adulthood can attenuate brain cell dysfunction and thus counteract the behavioral abnormalities typical of autism – even after the absence of MYT1L has already impaired brain development during the developmental phase. of the organism”adds Moritz Mall.
However, results are still limited to studies in mice. Further work is needed to confirm the findings of the Hector Institute for Translational Brain Research.
