Understanding the Structural Basis of Disrupted Functional Connectivity in ASD Using Barcoded Connectomics

Many lines of evidence have shown that brain regions do not communicate well in people with autism, leading to symptoms of ASD.  This can include too much or too little connectivity between brain regions, causing decreased or misdirected connections. Applying a technology new to autism, individual neurons will be labeled with bar codes and then tracked to determine where and how brain cells connect. This novel approach will allow scientists to better understand the nature of connectivity problems in autism, and potentially provide clues to new druggable targets.