According to a 2021 study published in the Indian Journal of Paediatrics, the estimated prevalence of Autism in India is around 1 in 68 children
Research by Indian scientists have, perhaps for the
first time, revealed a potential therapy for persons suffering from Autism or
Intellectual Disability (ID) that may enable the patients to lead a life less
dependent on others.
Experiments conducted by a team from the Jawaharlal
Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) found that manipulation
of a particular type of protein that plays a crucial role during brain
development could help in mitigating neurophysiological deficits.
Claiming that this study could be the “first
demonstration” of the reversal of autistic behaviour and neural wiring, the
authors state that their work provides a new potential therapeutic option by
targeting epigenetic modifications in the protein, called Syngap1, that can
restore the deficits to an extent that will enable the patient reduce
dependence on others.
The research has been published in the March 2025
issue of Aging Cell, a peer-reviewed journal published by The Anatomical
Society, a 138-year-old organisation based in the United Kingdom.
Current therapeutics prescribed to treat Autism or ID
are mostly related to alleviating the symptoms rather than correcting the
phenotypes observed in neurodevelopmental disorders, especially after brain
development.
Medical literature defines Autism as a
neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by repetitive, restricted and
inflexible patterns of behaviour, interests and activities, as well as
difficulties in social interaction and social communication. Sensory
abnormalities and motor coordination impairment are also included in the
diagnosis.
The World Health Organisation estimates about 1 in 100
children had autism between 2012 and 2021, with a trend of increasing
prevalence over time. According to a 2021 study published in the Indian Journal
of Paediatrics, the estimated prevalence of Autism in India is around 1 in 68 children.
Boys are more commonly affected by Autism than girls, with a male-to-female
ratio of approximately 3:1.
Doctors say that the exact cause of Autism is unknown
and it manifests in various ways and its severity and support needs vary
widely. While there’s no cure for Autism, various therapies and interventions
can help individuals manage symptoms, improve skills and enhance their quality
of life.
The researchers at JNCASR conducted experiments on
mice. They found that with mice with mutated syngap gene, which resemble humans
with the mutated syngap gene that is present in autistic patients, the
bio-chemical process of DNA-associated proteins that provide structural support
for chromosomes is repressed in the brain.
No comments:
Post a Comment