If you lose just one specific protein, your brain starts rewiring its 'data cables' to send everything straight into your fear center.
April 13, 2026
Original Paper
Sequestration of growth cone surface proteins by cytoplasmic Lrrtm2 induces de novo amygdala innervation by cerebral cortex associative neurons
bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.04.08.716720
The Takeaway
Researchers found that a specific molecular 'switch' keeps brain wiring on the right track. When it's missing, neurons that should go elsewhere accidentally plug into the amygdala, offering a new biological explanation for the unique brain structures found in autism.
From the abstract
Precise establishment of distinct cerebral cortex circuits is essential for sensorimotor function, high-level cognition, and cross-modality integration and association. Although an increasing set of molecular controls over subtype-specific cortical wiring have been identified, much less is known about how molecules in growth cones (GCs) regulate precise long-range projection of axons through complex environments, or how dysregulation of GC molecular machinery disrupts precision of circuit format