Mutations in two members of the neuroligin family, NLGN3 and NLGN4, have been associated with autism and Asperger syndrome.

Neuroligins are a family of proteins that affect interactions between neurons. Neuroligins function as ligands for neurexins, which are receptors on the surface of a cell. By binding to these receptors, neuroligins can induce a signal in the cell, which may affect the formation and reformation of synapses. Mutations in two neuroligins, NLGN3 and NLGN4, are associated with autism and Asperger syndrome. Jamain and colleagues identified a mutation in NLGN4 in two brothers, one with typical autism and the other with Asperger syndrome. This mutation creates a stop codon at position 396, which causes the protein to prematurely terminate.

neuroligin, nlgn3, nlgn4, receptors, synapses, autism, gene, asperger, aspergers,