Research: Minocycline Promotes Dendritic Spine Maturation and Improves Behavioural Performance in the Fragile X Mouse Model

Authored by Bilousova, TV, Dansie L., Ngo M., Aye J., Charles JR, Ethell DW, and Ethell IM in Journal of Medical Genetics, Volume 46, Issue 2, p. 94-102, (2009).

Article summary (posted Jun 16, 2009):

Treatment with the drug minocycline may help neuron growth in mice with a Fragile X-like condition, and may be helpful for people with Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) some of whom also have autism.

Neurons in the brain need healthy dendrites in order to function normally. The mice in the study were genetically altered to lack certain genes, like people with FXS. These mice have autism spectrum behaviors, and their dendrites tend to be small and not fully developed. The minocycline drug therapy led to better-developed dendrites in neurons of the brains of these mice. The mice also showed less anxiety and more exploring after treatment.

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You can access the original abstract and the complete paper is sometimes available for free via Google Scholar (look for entries that say "PDF" or "HTML" on the right side of the page).
anxiety, autism, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), drug, Fragile X Syndrome (FXS), genetic, neuron, neurons, spine, therapy, treatment
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