Our brain constantly build and dismantle neural connections, a crucial process during early development. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory’s Assistant Professor Gabrielle Pouchelon studies this wiring process to understand how it relates to disorders like autism.
Recent research focuses on pruning, where the brain removes unnecessary connections to form long-lasting circuits. Pouchelon explores how temporary early connections shape developing brain circuits, aiming to uncover new treatments for brain dysfunctions.
Pouchelon’s lab discovered that a protein receptor called mGluR1 controls the timing of temporary brain connections in mice. Without mGluR1, connections in the brain region that processes touch via whiskers linger too long, affecting sensory circuit maturity. This leads to unusual behaviors in mice, such as not standing on hind legs or exploring with their noses, as typical mice do.
The crucial development phase happens in the first week after birth. Pouchelon notes that mGluR1 functions differently in early brain development compared to adulthood. This insight suggests that targeting developmental defects at different stages could have varying therapeutic effects in treating neurodevelopmental disorders.
Pouchelon’s team aims to use their discovery to develop early treatments for brain disorders. Dimitri Dumontier, a postdoc on the team, explains that studying early brain development is crucial because it’s challenging to pinpoint which mechanisms cause symptoms in adults or teenagers with neurodevelopmental disorders like autism.
Understanding how the brain matures could prevent these disorders from emerging. By intervening early in the brain’s development process, scientists hope to ease the challenges many young people face in navigating life.
Discovering the optimal timing for brain development could pave the way for early interventions in neurological disorders, offering many young people hope for a smoother path through life.
Journal reference:
- Dwivedi, D., Dumontier, D., Sherer, M. et al. Metabotropic signaling within somatostatin interneurons controls transient thalamocortical inputs during development. Nature Communications. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49732-w.