Audio research news

Partner selection may amplify rare variants in children

14 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Nonrandom mating — the propensity for people to partner with others who share their traits — can increase the likelihood of autism or other condit...

Serotonin powers pruning of developing brain circuits in mice

12 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Mice with microglia missing receptors for the neurotransmitter serotonin since birth have too many synapses and show social difficulties in adulthood....

Mitochondria mediate effects of PTEN mutations

10 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Whole-genome sequencing data — which include information about mitochondrial DNA — offer clues to why mutations in the same gene can lead to autis...

Autism's ties to the cell skeleton

07 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Many genes related to the condition play a role in the internal scaffolding of cells, and cytoskeletal disruptions can affect neurodevelopment and beh...

Donald Triplett, autism's 'Case 1,' dies at 89

05 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Triplett gained media attention for his autism later in life, and he became the face of the effort to research the lives of older adults with autism.

Retraction, She Wrote: Dorothy Bishop's life after research

30 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A renowned researcher’s eye for detail has given her a second career and a new following.

AI model helps decode brain activity underlying conversation

28 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A text-predicting chatbot parses text from conversations in a way that parallels brain-activity patterns associated with speech production and compreh...

Controversial 'cost of autism' paper retracted

26 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The journal’s decision comes two years after Spectrum covered backlash from researchers over the study.

Capturing autism's sleep problems with devices nearable and wearable

23 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Next-generation trackers could realize a long-standing research dream: conducting sleep studies in large numbers of autistic people.

Preprint questions validity of postmortem brain studies

21 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

But the alternatives, including living-brain biopsies, raise logistical and ethical questions, experts say.

Two scientists, two interventions: A 'gentle rivalry' to aid autistic children

16 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Minimally verbal autistic preschoolers gained new words and phrases in a head-to-head comparison of two interventions.

Debate remains over changes in DSM-5 a decade on

14 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Changes to the DSM-5’s diagnostic criteria for autism were meant to add clarity, but they also generated new questions.

Swings and misses with Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele

12 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A careful clinician who prizes evidence, Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele is happy to embrace trial failures, as long as he learns from them.

Antihistamine aids myelination in Pitt-Hopkins mice

09 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The drug clemastine and other compounds that fortify the protective sheath around neurons may prove therapeutic for some genetic neurodevelopmental co...

'Polygenic risk scores' for autism, explained

07 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

These scores — composite measures of a person’s autism-linked common genetic variants — cannot predict an autism diagnosis but could help resear...

Neuroscience journal retracts 13 papers at once

05 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The papers were flagged by a method that has now been called into question.

Genetic background sways effects of autism-linked mutation

02 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Experiments offer clues to why certain mutations are associated with autism in some people and not others.

Null and Noteworthy: Arbaclofen results; another oxytocin edition

31 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

New data from clinical trials of arbaclofen and oxytocin underscore the murkiness of null results. Plus, researchers seek clarity on the neurodevelopm...

Dataset maps connectivity in 40,000 brains

26 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The new resource aims to aid reproducibility in imaging research.

Grafted organoids reveal how microglia adapt to shifting brain environments

24 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The chimeric mouse model could provide a more realistic way to study microglia’s roles in brain conditions such as autism.

Flawed protocol for levodopa clinical trial brings retractions

22 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The retracted studies mar hope for the drug’s use in depression.

Trials of arbaclofen for autism yield mixed results

19 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Autistic children taking the drug showed improvements in some behaviors but not in their social skills.

Medley of models reveals misbehaving pathways in autism-linked condition

17 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The largest analysis of human samples to date, plus work in mice and zebrafish, detail the gene KMT5B’s role in brain development.

Spectrum Launch: Demystifying academia with Laurel Gabard-Durnam

15 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Northeastern University psychology professor’s website offers a wealth of resources about how to navigate an academic career.

What kind of autism research should we do, and where should we do it?

12 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers at INSAR 2023 need to discuss these questions and remember that the purpose of research may be different for different communities.

Loss of autism-linked gene dampens social interactions in animals

10 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Mice and zebrafish missing the GIGYF1 gene show social traits reminiscent of autism, though the molecular underpinnings are unclear.

Acetaminophen on trial over possible links to autism, ADHD

08 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

More than 100 parents who used the drug during pregnancy claim it caused their child’s autism or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, although ...

Company on brink takes psilocybin to trial for fragile X syndrome

05 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The phase 2A trial has its detractors despite positive animal results and is being sponsored by a company that is struggling financially.

U.S. study charts changing prevalence of profound and non-profound autism

03 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Profound autism prevalence rose from 2002 to 2016, though not nearly as much as non-profound autism did.

A questionable study linked epidurals to autism. Then what?

01 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers and clinicians were quick to point out the flaws in the study, and a flood of work refuted it.

Null and Noteworthy: Reader response; cerebrospinal fluid; connectivity subgroups

28 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this edition of Null and Noteworthy, researchers upend early interventions and diagnostic boundaries.

New measure characterizes gender diversity in study participants

26 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Gender Self-Report could help autism researchers include more gender-diverse people across a range of ages and neurotypes in their work.

Journal club: Does lithium in drinking water contribute to autism?

24 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A study published last week in JAMA Pediatrics suggests that autism is more common among people born in areas with high levels of lithium in drinking ...

Rare autism-linked mutation starves growing neurons of essential nutrients

20 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The mutation prevents certain amino acids from entering neurons, causing the cells to die early in development.

RNA therapy restores gene function in monkeys modeling Angelman syndrome

18 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The result raises hopes for an ongoing clinical trial in people — and offers fresh insight into the biology of imprinting and the UBE3A antisense tr...

Immune molecule alters cellular makeup of human brain organoids

17 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The changes may help explain the link between maternal infection and autism, though more research is needed.

New technique details brainstem's response to sounds

14 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

By revealing differences between autistic and non-autistic children, it could help identify autism in babies.

Going on Trial: Trofinetide approval for Rett; n-of-1 ASO therapies; cord-blood deals

12 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This month’s issue of the Going on Trial newsletter examines personalized therapies for rare conditions, Acadia’s new drug for Rett syndrome and d...

Brain connectivity, behavior flag four autism subtypes

10 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A machine-learning technique applied to brain imaging data appears to predict a person’s mix of verbal intelligence, social affect and repetitive be...

Maternal immune response dulls male rats' social radar

06 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Male rats prenatally exposed to a maternal immune response have atypical responses to other rats in distress, according to a new study.

U.S. autism prevalence continues to rise as race and sex gaps shrink, new stats show

03 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

About 1 in 36 children in the United States has autism, up almost 20 percent from the previous estimate, reflecting improved identification, particula...

Cannabis compound rebalances signaling to quell seizures in mice

31 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Cannabidiol (CBD) blocks the action of a molecule that drives an overexcitability feedback loop in a rodent model of epilepsy.

'Splice-switching' strategy boosts SYNGAP1 expression

30 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The approach improves the function of SYNGAP1-deficient neurons in vitro, but whether it will work in people remains unclear.

Brain imaging do-over offers clues to field's replication problem

28 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Methodological choices and study-site artifacts confounded an attempt to replicate findings in support of an autism brain-imaging biomarker, according...

African genetics study NeuroDev shares initial findings

24 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The most comprehensive study of neurodevelopmental conditions in Kenya and South Africa ever conducted shares preliminary results and lessons.

FDA approval of trofinetide may spur further drug development for Rett

21 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The drug, welcomed by patients, might be just the first of many.

Wiring map reveals how larval fruit fly brain converts sensory signals to movement

20 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The map diagrams more than half a million neuronal connections in the first complete connectome of Drosophila and holds clues about which brain archit...

To repair DNA, neurons harness autism-linked proteins

17 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The proteins are part of a newly discovered complex that mends genetic damage exclusively in neurons.

Spectrum Launch: How early-career researchers can use ChatGPT to boost productivity

16 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The new tool may pose challenges for the scientific community, but used wisely, it can help researchers save time and resources.

New journals seek to fill neurodiversity gap

08 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The two journals, although differing in initial support, both realized the need for a publication focused exclusively on the neurodiverse experience.

Biotech downturn hurts companies targeting autism-linked conditions

23 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After a year of intense growth, funding for biotech is in decline. The result is layoffs and program cuts — and maybe some innovation.

People's perceptions of 'social' animations don't always square with researchers' labels

22 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The finding calls into question differences between autistic and non-autistic people on a decades-old theory-of-mind test involving interacting geomet...

Dietary changes ease traits in rare autism-linked condition

21 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Early treatment with nutritional supplements and a high-protein diet forestalls some neurodevelopmental problems for children with BCKDK deficiency.

Neurons struggle to spike without fragile X gene

17 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

FMR1 loss impairs sodium channels, hindering mouse neurons from generating the electrical signals needed to transmit information.

Epigenome edits unmute MECP2 in Rett-like neurons

16 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The approach removes methyl tags from the gene and shields it from other silencing factors without changing the gene itself, raising hopes for a new t...

Autism-linked MYT1L mutations prompt 'identity crisis' in budding brain cells

14 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Both human and mouse progenitor cells with the alterations struggle to become neurons and instead express genes that are typically active only in musc...

Autism-linked chromatin regulators may moonlight as microtubule influencers

08 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Five autism-linked genes widely known as chromatin regulators appear to also shape the cell’s internal skeleton.

Chromatin remodeling tied to altered splicing in autism model

07 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Exposing neurons to valproic acid, a well-known environmental risk factor for autism, disrupts their ability to generate different proteins from the s...

Fishing for protein partners nets clues to autism

06 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Connections between 13 autism-linked proteins and their binding partners in excitatory neurons implicate a new molecular pathway.

CHD8 mutation in 33 mouse strains yields range of traits

03 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The findings put genetic background forward to help explain autism’s heterogeneity.

Prolific autism researcher has two dozen papers retracted

02 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Elsevier’s retractions focus on peer review and conflicts of interest.

Head motion mars most fMRI results, even after correction

30 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A new measure shows how greatly movement influences associations between traits and brain activity, revealing abundant false positives and false negat...

'Mind-blowing' study upends conventional wisdom on oxytocin

27 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

CRISPR-edited prairie voles that lack receptors for the so-called “social hormone” still bond with their mate and pups, raising questions about th...

Racial, economic disparities skew New Jersey data on autism, intellectual disability

26 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Serious differences in autism identification persist, according to an analysis of autistic children in New Jersey over 16 years.

Autism research at the crossroads

25 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The power struggle between researchers, autistic self-advocates and parents is threatening progress across the field.

Decisional capacity and informed consent, explained

23 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

To include more autistic people in research, here’s what scientists need to know about informed consent procedures for study participants who ha...

Tempering tales of a new autism measure: A conversation with Thomas Frazier

20 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The questionnaire, designed to screen children for autism, isn’t ready for clinical use without further validation, contrary to what some overblown ...

Mutations in autism-linked gene cause membrane mischief

19 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Inactivating TAOK1 prompts tentacle-like protrusions to form all over a neuron’s surface, revealing the gene’s role in molding the membrane.

Null & Noteworthy: Intervention flops; neural noise; gender care

18 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This edition takes aim at the autism-intervention evidence base with a slew of null results, plus findings that challenge a prevailing autism brain th...

Asleep in the Mouse House with Graham Diering

12 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Memories from Diering’s life trace the rising star’s scientific path from raising lizards as a child and later exploring home brewing to heading a...

Spectrum Launch: What makes a good graduate school interview?

11 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

’Tis the season for grad school meet and greets. But what are interviewers looking for, and how can early-career researchers bring their best?

'Science working as it should': Autism blood signature study earns open post-publication review

10 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Shortly after the study’s publication, experts critiqued it on PubPeer and other online platforms.

Immunity-linked genes expressed differently in brains of autistic people

06 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Postmortem brain samples from people with one of six conditions, including autism, show distinct signatures of over- and underexpression of immune gen...

Turner syndrome tied to autism

05 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Most people with the X-linked syndrome have autism traits, and about one-quarter meet diagnostic criteria for the condition.

Autism and the cell's antennae

04 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Many autism-linked genes are somehow tied to cilia, the tiny hair-like sensors that stud a cell’s surface. But the question remains whether, and how...

Hot topics in autism research in 2022

22 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This year saw the debut of ever-more complex techniques to grow and analyze brain organoids and other 3D tissue cultures, among other advances.

How to plan policies that support the autism community in Brazil: Lessons from a U.S. experience

21 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Brazil could learn from the challenges and successes of other nations to become a leader in planning for the needs of autistic people.

How scientists can counteract their unwitting contributions to autism's sex bias

20 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Common diagnostic and research practices may be adding to autism’s sex bias, but there are some simple steps scientists can take to counteract it.

Beyond the bench: Finding balance with Gavin Rumbaugh

15 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Rumbaugh, who studies how the autism-linked gene SYNGAP1 shapes brain development, describes how he has embraced coastal living and which aspects of h...

The link between maternal infection and autism, explained

13 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Having an infection during pregnancy is tied to a small increase in the chances of having an autistic child, but the connection may not be causal.

Mapping tool reveals microglia's shape-shifting secrets

09 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The approach could help test hypotheses about how atypical function of the brain’s immune cells contributes to autism.

Spectrum Launch: Carving out vacation time as an early-career researcher

08 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Early-career researchers talk about the challenges around taking time off, and a new study shows that young scientists tend to be more innovative than...

Multi-omics study captures CNTNAP2's far-ranging effects

08 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The in-depth approach shows mutations in the autism-linked gene disrupt neuronal growth and communication, as well as mitochondrial gene expression.

Autism subgroups converge on cell growth pathway

05 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Faulty mTOR signaling, implicated in syndromic forms of autism, also hinders cells grown from people with idiopathic autism or autism-linked deletions...

One-rosette technique grows well-organized organoids

02 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The method yields complex organoids that more closely mimic embryonic brain development than do those cultured in other ways.

'Assembloids' lay bare autism-linked genes that hamper neuron development

30 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The model enables the study of autism-linked genes at the earliest stages of neural development.

Excess of 'don't eat me' cell signals may drive brain enlargement in autism

22 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The signal, called CD47, is disrupted in autistic people who have a larger-than-average head.

Autism's sex bias tied to glial, immune cell gene expression

22 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The function of microglia and astrocytes in the brain may mediate the intersection of sex-differential biology and autism biology.

Organoids identify potential therapies, circuit flaws for autism-linked syndromes

21 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Brain cell clusters serve as drug screens and reveal connectivity differences for autism-linked conditions, two new models show.

Zebrafish social behavior swims into mainstream

17 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

New studies bolster the idea that zebrafish models can say something meaningful about social behavior in autism.

Brain's memory center flags autistic adults at risk for cognitive decline

17 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Brain scans of the hippocampus reveal autistic people who are at increased risk of cognitive problems as they get older.

Consistent, convergent pathways link two forms of autism

15 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

People with dup15q syndrome and those with idiopathic autism have similar patterns of altered gene expression in early brain development and later in ...

The new history of autism, part III

11 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For decades, two figures have dominated the history of autism studies. Today, newly excavated documents are calling into question the primacy of these...

The new history of autism, part II

09 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For decades, two figures have dominated the history of autism studies. Today, newly excavated documents are calling into question the primacy of these...

The new history of autism, part I

07 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For decades, two figures have dominated the history of autism studies. Today, newly excavated documents are calling into question the primacy of these...

A mix of common and rare variants shapes autism inheritance patterns

04 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The study also reveals a link between language development and common variants.

Autism brain signature most pronounced in sensory areas

02 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

An analysis of 11 cortical regions shows anterior-to-posterior shifts in gene expression linked to autism.

Zebrafish point to new gene involved in brain overgrowth, autism

01 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The gene, YTHDF2, has not previously been linked to autism.

Psychiatric conditions hospitalize almost one in three autistic women by age 25

31 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The findings, based on Swedish national registry data, suggest a critical need to expand mental health services for autistic people.

Lags in genetic testing, variant reporting hinder autism research

28 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Few autistic people undergo the recommended genetic testing for their condition, and test results often do not make their way into public databases, w...