Restoring brain blood vessel function reverses autism behaviors in mice
DrKavner · x · 2026-10-11
Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital and University of Ottawa found that in a 16p11.2 deletion mouse model of autism, brain endothelial cells suffer depleted ATP and impaired P2Y2 purinergic receptor signaling, failing to deliver responsive blood flow to active circuits.
Pharmacologically activating the endothelial P2Y2 receptor restored microvascular function, boosted cerebral blood flow, and reversed established hyperactivity, repetitive behaviors, and motor learning deficits even in adult mice. The P2Y2-activating compound is already approved for dry eye disease in Japan and South Korea, potentially accelerating translation.
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