NYUAD researchers find link between brain growth and mental health disorders

Abu Dhabi, UAE, June 30, 2025: A team of researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi has uncovered a key mechanism that helps shape how our brains are wired, and what can happen when that process is disrupted.

In a new study published in Cell Reports, the RNA-MIND Lab at NYU Abu Dhabi, led by Professor of Biology Dan Ohtan Wang, with Research Associate Belal Shohayeb, reveals how a small molecular mark on messenger RNA, called m6A methylation, regulates the production of essential proteins inside growing neurons. This process plays a critical role in the development of axons, the long extensions that neurons use to connect and communicate with each other.

The study shows that this molecular mark controls the production of a protein called Adenomatous Polyposis Coli (APC), which helps organize the internal structure of nerve cells and is needed to locally produce β-actin, a key building block of cytoskeleton to support axon growth. Importantly, the team also found that genetic mutations linked to autism and schizophrenia can interfere with this process, potentially affecting how the brain develops.

“This research connects a global process, how proteins are made across the cell, with highly local effects in neurons that guide brain development,” said Ohtan Wang. “We’re learning that when these finely tuned systems break down, the impact can be seen in conditions like autism and schizophrenia. Understanding these molecular details could open the door to new ways of thinking about treatment and early intervention.”

As the brain forms, neurons must grow, connect, and communicate in precise ways. This research sheds light on the inner workings of that process and deepens our understanding of how even the smallest molecular changes can have far-reaching effects.

The paper, "m6A RNA methylation-mediated control of global APC expression is required for local translation of β-actin and axon development," is now available online in Cell Reports.

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﷟NYU Abu Dhabi is the first comprehensive liberal arts and research campus in the Middle East to be operated abroad by a major American research university. Times Higher Education ranks NYU among the top 35 universities in the world, making NYU Abu Dhabi the highest globally ranked university in the UAE and MENA region. NYU Abu Dhabi has integrated a highly selective undergraduate curriculum across the disciplines with a world center for advanced research and scholarship. The university enables its students in the sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities, and arts to succeed in an increasingly interdependent world and advance cooperation and progress on humanity’s shared challenges. NYU Abu Dhabi’s high-achieving students have come from over 120 countries and speak over 100 languages. Together, NYU's campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai form the backbone of a unique global university, giving faculty and students opportunities to experience varied learning environments and immersion in other cultures at one or more of the numerous study-abroad sites NYU maintains on six continents.