Activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP)/NAP (CP201): Autism, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer’s disease

ADNP is a large protein, presenting key signature motifs for macromolecular interactions linked with cognition, with emphasis on social cognition, impaired, for example, in autism, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The connection to AD was recently reviewed. Here, I will mention macromolecular interactions attributed to ADNP followed by a description of the ADNP syndrome (within the autism spectrum disorders—ASD), the schizophrenia connection of ADNP, and finally the updates on ADNP and AD. Importantly, when we cloned ADNP, we discovered an active eight-amino acid neuroprotective snippet that we have named NAP (NAPVSIPQ), drug candidate name davunetide or CP201. Thus, ADNP description will be entwined by updates on CP201 (NAP) protection against ADNP deficiencies and beyond.