Molecular mechanisms of neocortical malformation relevant to autism spectrum disorder

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16H06729
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Neurochemistry/Neuropharmacology
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Kawaguchi Daichi 東京大学, 大学院薬学系研究科(薬学部), 助教 (70549518)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-08-26 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 脳・神経 / 発生・分化 / 自閉症 / 大脳新皮質 / 大脳領野

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The neocortex regulates complex cognitive tasks such as sensory perception and higher cognition. Defects in cortical development are believed to cause neurological disorders including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD children often have an overgrowth of the frontal cortex, but the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for this region-specific overgrowth as well as its pathological relevance remain elusive. In this study, we found that fibroblast growth factor signaling might have a causal role in brain morphological and behavioral alterations relevant to ASD.

Free Research Field

神経発生生物学