"Genetic and Cellular Insights into Brain Disorders Unveiled"

A UCLA-led study has provided the most detailed view yet of the biological mechanisms underlying autism, linking genetic risk to cellular and genetic activity in the brain. Using single-cell assays to analyze over 800,000 nuclei from post-mortem brain tissue, researchers identified major cortical cell types affected by autism and specific transcription factor networks driving these changes. These findings offer a framework for understanding molecular changes in autism and could lead to new therapeutic approaches.