Research summary
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn and behave. In 2019, one in 50 Canadian children and youth were diagnosed with ASD. Yet our understanding of the cellular and molecular changes underlying this brain condition remains poor—and this deficit limits treatment options. As Canada Research Chair in the Synaptic Basis of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Dr. Steven Connor aims to address these gaps.
He and his research team are investigating the synaptic basis for autism to define the cell-type and synapse-specific deficits and determine the impacts on plasticity within brain circuits associated with cognition. They will then use these discoveries to develop new drugs to reduce the symptoms of ASD. Connor’s research links genes, molecular pathologies and synapse function, offering immense potential to understand and repair compromised circuits in ASD.