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Brain Synapses of Children with Autism

Children with autism have too many “junction boxes” in their brains, a studyhas found. The surplus synapses – places where neurons connect and communicate – are due to a lack of “pruning” that normally occurs early in life. In mice with autistic traits, scientists were able to restore synaptic pruning and reduce symptoms with a drug used to suppress the immune systems of transplant patients. The drug, rapamycin, has side effects that make it unsuitable as …