Scientists have found possible approaches to treating autism with fish

It's about the early stages of drug development.

Details

In the study, scientists used danio rerio fish, a popular model in biomedicine due to its genetic similarity to humans.

The researchers first tested hundreds of drugs:

• 774 approved drugs were studied in total
• 520 of them were selected as safe and behavioural

The scientists then compared how these substances affected fish with autism-related gene mutations.

This allowed them to identify drugs that partially "normalise" behaviour, such as sleep and response to stimuli.

Levocarnitine, a substance involved in the energy metabolism of cells, has attracted particular attention.

It has shown the ability to improve disorders associated with two genes: SCN2A and DYRK1A.

Why it matters

Autism is linked to many different genes, so there is no one-size-fits-all treatment yet.

Researchers note:

• different forms of autism require different approaches
• it is important to take genetic features into account
• these models can help us find candidates for therapy more quickly

This is not about ready-made treatments, but about potential directions for future research.

Background

More than 100 genes associated with autism have previously been identified.

This makes drug development challenging as the mechanisms can vary greatly from person to person.

Danio rerios are often used for mass drug testing due to their rapid development and ease of use.

Source

The study is based on an analysis of the effects of 774 drugs on the behaviour of danio rerio fish with autism gene mutations. The work is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2026).