Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117558, Singapore.
Department of Developmental Biology and Genetics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560012, India.
Neuromolecular Med. 2024 May 14;26(1):20. doi: 10.1007/s12017-024-08781-6.
The salient features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) encompass persistent difficulties in social communication, as well as the presence of restricted and repetitive facets of behavior, hobbies, or pursuits, which are often accompanied with cognitive limitations. Over the past few decades, a sizable number of studies have been conducted to enhance our understanding of the pathophysiology of ASD. Preclinical rat models have proven to be extremely valuable in simulating and analyzing the roles of a wide range of established environmental and genetic factors. Recent research has also demonstrated the significant involvement of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in the pathogenesis of several neuropsychiatric diseases, including ASD. In fact, the ECS has the potential to regulate a multitude of metabolic and cellular pathways associated with autism, including the immune system. Moreover, the ECS has emerged as a promising target for intervention with high predictive validity. Particularly noteworthy are resent preclinical studies in rodents, which describe the onset of ASD-like symptoms after various genetic or pharmacological interventions targeting the ECS, providing encouraging evidence for further exploration in this area.
自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）的显著特征包括社交沟通方面的持续困难，以及行为、兴趣或追求的受限和重复方面的存在，这些通常伴随着认知限制。在过去的几十年中，已经进行了大量的研究来增进我们对 ASD 病理生理学的理解。临床前大鼠模型已被证明在模拟和分析广泛的既定环境和遗传因素的作用方面非常有价值。最近的研究还表明，内源性大麻素系统（ECS）在包括 ASD 在内的多种神经精神疾病的发病机制中起着重要作用。事实上，ECS 有可能调节与自闭症相关的多种代谢和细胞途径，包括免疫系统。此外，ECS 已成为具有高预测有效性的干预的有希望的目标。特别值得注意的是，最近在啮齿动物中的临床前研究描述了在针对 ECS 的各种基因或药理学干预后出现类似 ASD 的症状，为该领域的进一步探索提供了令人鼓舞的证据。
