A study in mice suggests that cells lining the brain’s blood vessels may play an important role in autism-related symptoms.

Researchers have reversed several autism related behavioral symptoms in adult mice by correcting a problem in the blood vessels that supply the brain. The findings point to an unexpected treatment target: endothelial cells, which line blood vessels and help control how quickly blood reaches active regions of the brain.

The study, published in Neuron, focused on mice carrying a 16p11.2 deletion, a genetic change associated with autism in humans. Activating a receptor called P2Y2 restored blood vessel function, increased blood flow in the brain, and reversed hyperactivity, repetitive movements, and impaired motor learning in the animals.