Helen Bateup published that the TSC1 protein, which is often mutated in people Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC), is necessary for metabotropic glutamate receptor dependent long-term depression (mGluR LTD) in the hippocampus. This is very interesting because both TSC and Fragile X Syndrome are autism spectrum disorders that are caused by loss of a negative regulator of protein translation. However, in mouse models of TSC mGluR LTD is lost whereas in models of Fragile X it is enhanced. Two models of autism show perturbed plasticity, but in different directions.
January 21st, 2012