Cutting-Edge Autism Therapy & Treatment Options
A gene-editing tool could change autism as we know it
According to a new study, using a gene-editing tool, known as CRISPR, could change autism from the inside out. The researchers involved in the study were able to eliminate symptoms associated with the developmental disorder in mice.
Using a thin needle to inject CRISPR-Cas9 into the brain tissue, the research team was able to target the striatum, which is a principle component of the motor and reward systems in the brain. Following the procedure, they noticed a 30% drop in compulsive digging and a 70% drop in jumping. “You could knock out disease-causing genes and actually see fairly significant behavioral changes,” said Niren Murthy, bioengineer and inventor of the CRISPR-Gold technique.
