http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. Synapse development is promoted by a variety of cell adhesion molecules that connect neurons and organize synaptic proteins. Many of these adhesion molecules are linked to neurodevelopmental disorders; mutations in neuroligin and neurexin proteins, for example, are associated with autism and schizophrenia. According to a study in The Journal of Cell Biology, another family of proteins linked to these disorders regulates the function of neuroligins and neurexins in order to suppress the development of inhibitory synapses. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-protein-family-linked-autism-suppresses.html Medical research Mon, 28 Jan 2013 12:00:05 EST news278584054 A new study published in Biological Psychiatry suggests that autism is associated with reductions in the level of cellular adhesion molecules in the blood, where they play a role in immune function. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-brain-unglued-autism.html Autism spectrum disorders Tue, 11 Dec 2012 11:08:24 EST news274446485 Researchers at the University of Iowa have worked out the exact function of an enzyme that is critical for normal muscle structure and is involved in several muscular dystrophies. The findings, which were published Jan. 6 in the journal Science, could be used to develop rapid, large-scale testing of potential muscular dystrophy therapies. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-reveals-enzyme-function-muscular-dystrophy.html Medical research Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:17:48 EST news245337458