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    Discovery of a New Drug Target could lead to Novel Rx for Severe Autism

    January 4, 2016, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    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. Image: Gong Chen lab, Penn State University


    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.
    Image: Gong Chen lab, Penn State University

    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. It could lead to a new treatment for Rett Syndrome and other forms of autism-spectrum disorders, ASD.

    “The most exciting part of this research is that it directly uses human neurons that originated from Rett Syndrome patients as a clinically-relevant disease model to investigate the underlying mechanism,” said Dr. Chen...

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    Dreams Turned Off and On with a Neural Switch

    October 15, 2015, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    stimulating dream sleep

    When a laser triggers an optogenetic switch in neurons in the medulla of a sleeping mouse, the animal goes from non-REM sleep (NREM) into REM or dream sleep. The axons of these neurons (green) reach into distant parts of the primitive brain, such as the hypothalamus, broadly affecting brain function. (Franz Weber image.)

    Activating small group of neurons in medulla causes rapid transition to REM sleep. The researchers inserted an optogenetic switch into a group of nerve cells located this area, allowing them to activate or inactivate the neurons with laser light. When the neurons were activated, sleeping mice entered REM sleep within seconds...

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