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University of California-Davis Assistant professor Elva Diaz, the study's senior author, said she named the protein SynDIG1 -- synapse differentiation induced gene product one. A synapse is the space between nerve cells, through which nerve impulses are transmitted from one cell to another.

"We know that synapses are essential for learning, memory and perception and suspect that imbalances in synapse formation impact disorders of the brain such as autism and schizophrenia", she said. "Our study is the first to identify SynDIG1 as a critical regulator of these important brain connections."

Diaz said she and her team of molecular neurobiologists and electrophysiologists from UC-Davis and the University of Iowa determined the functions of SynDIG1 by studying neurons from the brains of lab rats. She said the study suggests SynDIG1 "is a key driver of the entire synaptic process, but we need to test this before we can confidently say this is true."

Diaz added, "We could be on the path to redefining many brain diseases as synapse diseases instead."

The study appears in the Jan. 14 issue of the journal Neuron.

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