title: The involvement of Reelin in neurodevelopmental disorders.
abstract: Reelin is a glycoprotein that serves important roles both during development (regulation of neuronal migration and brain lamination) and in adulthood (maintenance of synaptic function). A number of neuropsychiatric disorders including autism, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, Alzheimer's disease and lissencephaly share a common feature of abnormal Reelin expression in the brain. Altered Reelin expression has been hypothesized to impair neuronal connectivity and synaptic plasticity, leading ultimately to the cognitive deficits present in these disorders. The mechanisms for abnormal Reelin expression in some of these disorders are currently unknown although possible explanations include early developmental insults, mutations, hypermethylation of the promoter for the Reelin gene (RELN), miRNA silencing of Reelin mRNA, FMRP underexpression and Reelin processing abnormalities. Increasing Reelin expression through pharmacological therapies may help ameliorate symptoms resulting from Reelin deficits. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'Neurodevelopmental Disorders'.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Division of Neuroscience Research, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware St. SE, MMC 392, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. folso013@umn.edu
authors.forename: Timothy D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Folsom
authors.forename: S Hossein
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Fatemi
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D003071:Cognition; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000091042:Reelin Protein; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D000091042:Reelin Protein; C469363:reelin receptor; C000717127:RELN protein, human; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases