Pharmacotherapeutic Implications of the Association Between Genomic Instability at Chromosome 15q13.3 and Autism Spectrum Disorders

Recurrent microdeletions of chromosome 15q13.3 are causally associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), suggesting that haploinsufficiency of CHRNA7, the gene that codes for the alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (alpha 7 nAChR) subunit, is an etiological mechanism. Independent of these genetic data, given the location of alpha 7 nAChRs on gamma-aminobutyric acid-inhibitory neurons and their role in maintaining central inhibitory tone, a compelling pharmacological rationale exists for therapeutically targeting the alpha 7 nAChR in persons with ASDs. Given the availability of positive allosteric modulators of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and selective agonists for the alpha 7 nAChR (eg, choline derived from dietary administration of cytidine 5'diphosphocholine and anabasine derivatives), it is possible to conduct proof of concept'' clinical trials, exploring the effects of alpha 7 nAChR agonist interventional strategies on domains of psychopathology, such as attention, cognition, and memory, in persons with ASDs.