Scientists say the $3 drugLamotrigine(Lamotrigine), which was previously used for epilepsy, has been able to eliminate the symptoms of autism in mice. They now plan to test this drug on human samples.
A group of researchers from Germany’s Hector Institute found that the anti-epileptic drug lamotrigine can reduce the behavioral and social problems associated with autism. Moritz Maal, cell biologist and senior researcher of this research, says: “Apparently, drug treatment in adulthood can Brain cell disorders to fix and prevent Behavioral abnormalities to catch autism in patients.”
Lamotrigine, also sold as Lamictal, is an inexpensive drug that reverses changes in brain cells caused by genetic mutations. This drug is usually used for patients with Epilepsy and bipolar disorder is used But now scientists have found that lamotrigine can help treat autism.
MYT1L protein plays a key role in the action of autism drugs
Scientists have previously discovered that the MYT1L protein plays an important role in a number of neurological diseases. Therefore, to investigate the effect of this protein on autism, they conducted tests on mice and human nerve cells in the laboratory. In these experiments, inactivation of the MYT1L protein resulted in Electrophysiological hyperactivity became.
Mice in which MYT1L was inactivated exhibited symptoms similar to autism. The researchers say that the strangest thing was that the nerves lacking MYT1L Additional sodium channels created, which is usually specific to heart muscle cells.
The protein is critical for electrical conduction and cell function, researchers say, because it allows sodium ions to move across cell membranes. Nerves that have too many sodium channels can experience electrophysiological hyperactivity. But the drug lamotrigine is able to increase the activity level of nerve cells lacking MYT1L normal limit returned This drug has neutralized some of the behaviors related to autism, such as hyperactivity, in mice.
Researchers are now trying to test the effect of lamotrigine on MYT1L in human trials. The results of this study have been published in Molecular Psychiatry.
