Age-related decreased inhibitory vs. excitatory gene expression in the adult autistic brain

Louie N van de Lagemaat; Bonnie Nijhof; Daniëlle G M Bosch; Mahdokht Kohansal-Nodehi; Shivakumar Keerthikumar; J.A. Heimel

doi:10.3389/fnins.2014.00394

Age-related decreased inhibitory vs. excitatory gene expression in the adult autistic brain

Louie N van de Lagemaat, Bonnie Nijhof, Daniëlle G M Bosch, Mahdokht Kohansal-Nodehi, Shivakumar Keerthikumar, J.A. Heimel

Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NIN)

Research output: Contribution to journal/periodical › Article › Scientific › peer-review

14 Citations (Scopus)

234 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and restricted behavior and interests. A disruption in the balance of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission has been hypothesized to underlie these disorders. Here we demonstrate that genes of both pathways are affected by ASD, and that gene expression of inhibitory and excitatory genes is altered in the cerebral cortex of adult but not younger autistic individuals. We have developed a measure for the difference in the level of excitation and inhibition based on gene expression and observe that in this measure inhibition is decreased relative to excitation in adult ASD compared to control. This difference was undetectable in young autistic brains. Given that many psychiatric features of autism are already present at an early age, this suggests that the observed imbalance in gene expression is an aging phenomenon in ASD rather than its underlying cause.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	394
Journal	Frontiers in Neuroscience
Volume	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2014.00394
Publication status	Published - 2014

Access to Document

10.3389/fnins.2014.00394

VandeLagemaat2014FrontNeurosciFinal published version, 1.07 MB

Cite this

@article{4abb5e925f73419fb8fcfaaa538feecb,

title = "Age-related decreased inhibitory vs. excitatory gene expression in the adult autistic brain",

abstract = "Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and restricted behavior and interests. A disruption in the balance of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission has been hypothesized to underlie these disorders. Here we demonstrate that genes of both pathways are affected by ASD, and that gene expression of inhibitory and excitatory genes is altered in the cerebral cortex of adult but not younger autistic individuals. We have developed a measure for the difference in the level of excitation and inhibition based on gene expression and observe that in this measure inhibition is decreased relative to excitation in adult ASD compared to control. This difference was undetectable in young autistic brains. Given that many psychiatric features of autism are already present at an early age, this suggests that the observed imbalance in gene expression is an aging phenomenon in ASD rather than its underlying cause.",

author = "{van de Lagemaat}, {Louie N} and Bonnie Nijhof and Bosch, {Dani{\"e}lle G M} and Mahdokht Kohansal-Nodehi and Shivakumar Keerthikumar and J.A. Heimel",

year = "2014",

doi = "10.3389/fnins.2014.00394",

language = "English",

volume = "8",

pages = "394",

journal = "Frontiers in Neuroscience",

issn = "1662-4548",

publisher = "Frontiers Media SA",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Age-related decreased inhibitory vs. excitatory gene expression in the adult autistic brain

AU - van de Lagemaat, Louie N

AU - Nijhof, Bonnie

AU - Bosch, Daniëlle G M

AU - Kohansal-Nodehi, Mahdokht

AU - Keerthikumar, Shivakumar

AU - Heimel, J.A.

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and restricted behavior and interests. A disruption in the balance of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission has been hypothesized to underlie these disorders. Here we demonstrate that genes of both pathways are affected by ASD, and that gene expression of inhibitory and excitatory genes is altered in the cerebral cortex of adult but not younger autistic individuals. We have developed a measure for the difference in the level of excitation and inhibition based on gene expression and observe that in this measure inhibition is decreased relative to excitation in adult ASD compared to control. This difference was undetectable in young autistic brains. Given that many psychiatric features of autism are already present at an early age, this suggests that the observed imbalance in gene expression is an aging phenomenon in ASD rather than its underlying cause.

AB - Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and restricted behavior and interests. A disruption in the balance of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission has been hypothesized to underlie these disorders. Here we demonstrate that genes of both pathways are affected by ASD, and that gene expression of inhibitory and excitatory genes is altered in the cerebral cortex of adult but not younger autistic individuals. We have developed a measure for the difference in the level of excitation and inhibition based on gene expression and observe that in this measure inhibition is decreased relative to excitation in adult ASD compared to control. This difference was undetectable in young autistic brains. Given that many psychiatric features of autism are already present at an early age, this suggests that the observed imbalance in gene expression is an aging phenomenon in ASD rather than its underlying cause.

U2 - 10.3389/fnins.2014.00394

DO - 10.3389/fnins.2014.00394

M3 - Article

C2 - 25538548

SN - 1662-4548

VL - 8

SP - 394

JO - Frontiers in Neuroscience

JF - Frontiers in Neuroscience

ER -

Age-related decreased inhibitory vs. excitatory gene expression in the adult autistic brain

Abstract

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this