Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment (Apr 2023)
Pathology and Astrocytes in Autism
Abstract
Gelareh Vakilzadeh,1,2 Veronica Martinez-Cerdeño1– 3 1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UC Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA; 2Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, and Shriners Hospitals for Children, Sacramento, CA, USA; 3MIND Institute, UC Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USACorrespondence: Veronica Martinez-Cerdeño, 2425 Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA, Tel +916 453-2163, Email [email protected]: A distinct pathology for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remains elusive. Human and animal studies have focused on investigating the role of neurons in ASD. However, recent studies have hinted that glial cell pathology could be a characteristic of ASD. Astrocytes are the most abundant glial cell in the brain and play an important role in neuronal function, both during development and in adult. They regulate neuronal migration, dendritic and spine development, and control the concentration of neurotransmitters at the synaptic cleft. They are also responsible for synaptogenesis, synaptic development, and synaptic function. Therefore, any change in astrocyte number and/or function could contribute to the impairment of connectivity that has been reported in ASD. Data available to date is scarce but indicates that while the number of astrocytes is reduced, their state of activation and their GFAP expression is increased in ASD. Disruption of astrocyte function in ASD may affect proper neurotransmitter metabolism, synaptogenesis, and the state of brain inflammation. Astrocytes alterations are common to ASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Future studies about the role of astrocytes in ASD are required to better understand this disorder.Keywords: autism, astrocyte, postmortem, GFAP
