Abnormal sense of touch may play role in autism
In mice, mutations in autism-related genes in skin nerve cells linked to anxiety, poor social skills
Most people think that autism is a disorder of the brain. But the skin may play a role, too, a new study suggests.
Nerve cells in the skin are abnormal in mice with mutations in autism-related genes, leading to poor touch perception, scientists report June 9 in Cell. This trouble sensing touch may influence the developing brain in a way that leads to social deficits and anxiety later in life.
The results raise the provocative idea that fixing abnormal senses may alleviate some of the behavioral symptoms of autism, says study coauthor David Ginty, a neuroscientist at Harvard Medical School.