The publication of scientists from the Nencki Institute by Roszkowska M, Krysiak A, Majchrowicz L, Nader K, Beroun A, Michaluk P, Pekala M, Jaworski J, Kondrakiewicz L, Puścian A, Knapska E, Kaczmarek L, Kalita K., published in Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, has been awarded an honorary distinction, granted by the Polish Neuroscience Society.

In the article entitled “SRF depletion in early life contributes to social interaction deficits in adulthood” the authors discovered a new role for the SRF transcription factor in controlling social behavior in mice. The researchers demonstrated a long-term link between abnormalities in gene expression during early brain development and later deficits in social interactions in adulthood.

Roszkowska & Krysiak et. al. show that early postnatal deletion of SRF in the forebrain mouse neurons disrupts developmental maturation of dendritic spines. SRF elimination impaired structural and functional properties of excitatory synapses, which, in consequence, altered specific aspects of social behaviors in SRF knock-out mice. The work may help to understand the complex mechanisms underlying developmental neuropsychiatric disorders.