Isabel Barón-Mendoza, Ph.D.

Research

I will explore the cellular basis of the touch sensitivity associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Sensory processing difficulties are pervasive in ASD, and while most autism research focuses on the brain, evidence suggests that changes in sensory circuits in the spine may also play a role. Previous studies have shown that in mouse models of ASD, immune cells called microglia fail to properly prune neuronal connections in the brain during a critical window of development. Now, using cutting-edge tools in cell and molecular biology, spinal-circuit mapping, 3D microscopic imaging, and deep learning–based behavioral analysis, I will determine whether dysfunctional microglia lead to a similar deficit in neuronal pruning in the spine and whether this impairment leads to hyperactivation of spinal sensory circuits in response to touch. I will also assess whether these effects can be reversed by treatments that restore microglial pruning during early development in mouse models of ASD—work that could point toward novel targets for reducing tactile hypersensitivity in ASD.