TSC Genes Required for Axon Formation, Study Says

Mutations in the two genes that cause the disease tuberous sclerosis complex, or TSC, interfere with the normal formation of axons, the long and thin strands that conduct electrical signals between brain cells, researchers contend in a report in Genes and Development.The paper also shows that in mouse models of TSC, the cancer drug rapamycin can normalize axon formation, providing further evidence for its potential as a treatment for TSC and autism.Read more at...SFARI, October 2008.