The autism-linked gene SYNGAP1 could impact early stages of human brain development, study reveals

The gene SYNGAP1, the variants of which are top risk factors for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), has previously unappreciated effects on the developing brain, according to a new study published in Nature Neuroscience. The study shows how disease-causing variants of SYNGAP1, thought primarily to affect synapses between mature neurons, could disrupt early development in a key region of the brain known as the cortex.