Can Early Interventions Transform Neurodevelopmental Disorder Treatments?

According to a recent study, treating neurodevelopmental disorder with therapeutic treatments may be more successful if they are implemented early in the process of brain development.

“Knowing how and when brain circuits change during development is crucial to halting the growth of neurodevelopmental diseases. Senior author of the study, Molly Huntsman, PhD, an associate professor at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences on the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, stated, “Our study identifies when circuits change and how we can correct brain circuits.”

The study examines Fragile X Syndrome (FXS), a widespread neurodevelopmental disorder frequently linked to autism, anxiety problems, and intellectual incapacity, and publishes its findings in The Journal of Neuroscience.

“Currently, there are no approved or effective therapies targeting specific pathophysiology underlying the clinical manifestations of FXS,” Huntsman stated.

“We’re hoping to provide answers for when and how to treat FXS to help with therapeutic options eventually.”

Unlocking Potential: Targeting Early Interventions for Neurodevelopmental Disorder in the Amygdala

Researchers at the CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy discovered potential circuit-level alterations that they can therapeutically modify during a crucial stage of brain development.

They focused on the amygdala, the brain region involved in processing fear and anxiety.

Using a mouse model of FXS, they identified a critical period of increased circuit plasticity during early brain development.

They illustrated how fear learning develops in the brain during these periods of heightened plasticity.

Their findings also indicated that early intervention mitigates the associated issues.

The findings imply that researchers can enhance the amygdala’s critical period plasticity and move it to younger developmental stages.

This could result in “maladaptive” plasticity, but therapeutic intervention can effectively address it during critical developmental stages.

The study highlights that early treatment onset is crucial, as pharmacological intervention effectively reduces fear-learning in the mouse model.

Huntsman emphasized the importance of this finding for understanding circuit development in autism and guiding therapeutic intervention options. Future therapeutic trials, according to the experts, ought to concentrate on crucial stages of human development.