Protein Link Between Nicotine Addiction and Autism: Study

The researchers identified a defining role for a protein made by the neurexin-1 gene, which is located in brain cells and assists in connecting neurons as part of the brain's chemical communication system.

The neurexin-1 beta protein's job is to lure another protein, a specific type of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, to the synapses, where the receptor then has a role in helping neurons communicate signals among themselves and to the rest of the body.

This function is important in autism because previous research has shown that people with autism have a shortage of these nicotinic receptors in their brains.

Meanwhile, scientists also know that people who are addicted to nicotine have too many of these receptors in their brains.

"If we were to use drugs that mimic the actions of nicotine at an early time in human brain development, would we begin to help those and other circuits develop properly and thus significantly mitigate the deficits in autism?”, said Rene Anand, associate professor of pharmacology in Ohio State University's College of Medicine and principal investigator of the research.