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Chemical regulates light processing differently in the autistic and non-autistic eye

4 April 2024

A new study led by King’s College London researchers shows that the brain chemical GABA regulates activity in the retina of the eye in autistic and non-autistic individuals differently.

Omar Mahroo

Published in The Journal of Neuroscience, the study also shows that those with a greater shift in their retinal activity after receiving a single dose of the GABA drug arbaclofen were those who reported more autistic characteristics. This suggests that GABA’s influence on sensory processing could be central to the more complex behaviours experienced by some people with autism.

Professor of Retinal Neuroscience at UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, Omar Mahroo, is joint senior author of the project. Professor Mahroo said:

“Light detection and visual processing in the retina shapes our view of the world and this unique collaboration across traditionally distinct areas of neuroscience has helped us take a step closer to understanding that autistic people might truly see the world a little differently.

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