Autism-Linked Gene Disrupts Brain's Social Hormone Communication

A study uncovers how a mutation in the autism-linked Shank3 gene disrupts vasopressin release in the brain, impairing social behaviors in mice. It reveals that vasopressin acts through two receptors, AVPR1a and AVPR1b, controlling sociability and aggression respectively, and that targeting these receptors could lead to personalized autism therapies.,