Altered Somatosensory Processing in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Mechanisms and Emerging Therapeutic Opportunities
- Speaker
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David Ginty, Ph.D.Professor of Neurobiology, Harvard University
Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Presidential Lectures are free public colloquia centered on four main themes: Biology, Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science, and Neuroscience and Autism Science. These curated, high-level scientific talks feature leading scientists and mathematicians and are intended to foster discourse and drive discovery among the broader NYC-area research community. We invite those interested in the topic to join us for this weekly lecture series.
Mounting evidence indicates that sensory processing impairments are a key feature of autism spectrum disorders. In this lecture, Dr. Ginty will describe work employing molecular genetics, and electrophysiological, synaptic, and behavioral analyses aimed at defining the neurobiological basis of touch over-reactivity in mouse models of ASD, and its relationship to brain development and ASD-associated behavior. He will also discuss new pharmacological approaches to treat touch over-reactivity with the goal of reducing sensory over-reactivity and potentially improving cognitive and behavioral abnormalities associated with ASD.
About the Speaker
David Ginty is the Edward R. and Anne G. Lefler Professor of Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School and an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. His research focuses on development and functional organization of neural circuits that underlie touch perception in normal and disease states, and he serves as associate director of Harvard’s Program in Neuroscience. Dr. Ginty is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.