Single protein targeted as root biological cause of several childhood psychiatric disorders
Wednesday, October 31, 2012 - 13:02
in Health & Medicine
New research may revolutionize the biological understanding of some childhood psychiatric disorders. Scientists found that if the protein, SRGAP3, is malformed, it causes problems in brain functioning of mice, creating symptoms similar to mental health and neurological disorders in children. This protein functions similarly in humans, possibly representing a "missing link" for several disorders, while offering a new target for treatments to correct the biological cause rather than treat the symptoms.