Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41946741›Full record

ArticleNature communications2026

Modelling synaptic dysfunction in childhood dementia using human iPSC-derived cortical networks.

Paris Mazzachi, Ella McDonald, Zarina Greenberg, Alejandra Noreña Puerta, Jenne Tran, Manam Inushi De Silva, Cade Christensen, Robert Adams, Sebastian Loskarn, Helen Beard and 10 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

20 authors.

Paris Mazzachi *Laboratory for Human Neurophysiology and Genetics, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, Australia.ORCID 0009-0006-5974-7901
Ella McDonald *Laboratory for Human Neurophysiology and Genetics, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, Australia.ORCID 0009-0006-0852-0723
Zarina Greenberg *Laboratory for Human Neurophysiology and Genetics, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-0103-8321
Alejandra Noreña PuertaLaboratory for Human Neurophysiology and Genetics, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, Australia.ORCID 0009-0001-9531-1180
Jenne TranLaboratory for Human Neurophysiology and Genetics, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Manam Inushi De SilvaLaboratory for Human Neurophysiology and Genetics, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-5517-5903
Cade ChristensenLaboratory for Human Neurophysiology and Genetics, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-5661-3787
Robert AdamsLaboratory for Human Neurophysiology and Genetics, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-6254-0385
Sebastian LoskarnLaboratory for Human Neurophysiology and Genetics, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, Australia.ORCID 0009-0002-4984-5963
Helen BeardFlinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Michael ZabolockiLaboratory for Human Neurophysiology and Genetics, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-1856-5523
Meera ElmasriLaboratory for Human Neurophysiology and Genetics, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Megan MaackSanfilippo Children's Foundation, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-0870-0338
Kristina L ElvidgeSanfilippo Children's Foundation, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-9763-344X
Mark R HutchinsonSchool of Biomedicine, Adelaide University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-2154-5950
Cara O'NeillCure Sanfilippo Foundation, Columbia, SC, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-9377-259X
Kim M HemsleyFlinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Lisa MeltonSanfilippo Children's Foundation, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-6314-359X
Nicholas SmithDepartment of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, Women's and Children's Health Network, Adelaide, SA, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-2409-9239
Cedric BardyLaboratory for Human Neurophysiology and Genetics, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, Australia. cedric.bardy@flinders.edu.au.ORCID 0000-0001-8321-0852

Funding

Department of Education and Training | Australian Research Council (ARC) FT180100565Department of Health | National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) MRFF MRF2024419
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Alterations in synaptic homeostasis are linked to cognitive and behavioural impairments in brain disorders. However, synaptic dysfunction in childhood dementia is poorly understood. Here, we generate human cortical circuits from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from donors with Mucopolysaccharidosis Type IIIA (MPS IIIA), also known as Sanfilippo syndrome, a common form of childhood-onset dementia. Action potential firing capacity and morphology of MPS IIIA patient neurons in culture are similar to those of neurons from neurotypical donors. However, long-term neural maturation reveals excitation/inhibition imbalances caused by hyperactive excitatory synapses, disrupted network dynamics, and dysregulated gene expression linked to synaptic homeostasis. This study validates in vitro human neural models to detect neurophysiological phenotypes in childhood dementias and supports drug discovery strategies that target synaptic dysfunction to improve cognition in MPS IIIA and related brain disorders.

Indexed as

Cerebral CortexDementiaInduced Pluripotent Stem CellsMucopolysaccharidosis IIISynapsesAction PotentialsChildHumansNerve NetNeurons

Identifiers

PMID41946741
PMCPMC13057175

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.