Topic: autism spectrum disorders

Broadly, the Mauro Costa-Mattioli laboratory (The MCM Lab) encompasses two complementary lines of research. The first one, more traditional but very important, aims at unraveling the molecular mechanisms underlying memory formation (e.g., using state-of-the-art molecular and cell-specific genetic approaches). Learning and memory disorders can strike the brain during development (e.g., Autism Spectrum Disorders and Down Syndrome), as well as during adulthood (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease). We are interested in understanding the specific circuits and molecular pathways that are primarily targeted i

Large genomic studies of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have revealed approximately 100-200 high risk genes. However, whether these genes function in similar or different signaling networks in brain cells (neurons) remains poorly studied. We are using proteomic technology to build an ASD-associated signaling network map as a resource for the Autism research community. This resource can be used to study Autism risk genes and understand how pathways are convergent, and how patient mutations change the interaction profile. In this presentation, we will present how we developed

Modeling brain dynamics requires addressing processes that span different temporal and spatial scales [1]. This is crucial, when studying phenomena at the circuit level that are consequences of pharmacological or pathological alterations occurring at the single-cell level, such as changes in ionic or synaptic currents. Here, our aim is to study how single-cell dynamics interact with and affect circuit dynamics in a mouse model of autism (IB2 knock-out, KO), within the context of the cerebellar cortical microcircuit. In this work, we used a bottom-up approach: the microcircuit connectivity was