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Recent articles

brains of different sizes in colorful, radiant space with echoing shapes

Brain structures grow differently in boys, men with autism

Autistic boys and men show notable differences in brain development, according to magnetic resonance imaging scans taken over a 16-year period.

By Rebecca Sohn
19 May 2021 | 4 min read
Neurons show structural changes, seen in black and white.

Loss of a top autism gene may alter neuron structure

Mutations in the autism-linked gene ASH1L change how neurons grow and develop.

By Laura Dattaro
12 January 2021 | 3 min read
four brain areas marked with flags: Cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, cerebellum

Brain structure changes in autism, explained

Autistic people have distinct patterns of brain development, which sometimes result in differences in brain structure. Here's what we know about those differences.

By Angie Voyles Askham
15 October 2020 | 6 min read

Study links gene to inherited form of autism

Mutations in both copies of a gene called ACTL6B lead to autism, epilepsy and intellectual disability.

By Peter Hess
25 June 2020 | 6 min read
group of six brain images from children show white matter, anomalies shown in red areas

Structure of brain matter in young autistic children may show distinct patterns

The long fibers of neurons in the brains of young children with autism are structured differently from those of their neurotypical peers — and from those of older children with the condition.

By Alla Katsnelson
30 January 2020 | 5 min read
Two organoids connected by nerve fibers

In new device, brain organoids ‘talk’ to each other

A novel cell culture device enables researchers to grow bundles of nerve fibers from stem cells, mimicking the tissue that connects distant parts of the brain.

By Chloe Williams
14 June 2019 | 2 min read
illustration of mouse on sale in a city

‘Outmoded’ mouse models of autism may still yield new advances

Many researchers question the value of three early mouse models of autism, but the models have their staunch supporters.

By Nicholette Zeliadt
21 March 2018 | 6 min read

Decoding the overlap between autism and ADHD

Autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder often coincide, but the search for common biological roots has turned up conflicting evidence.

By Ricki Rusting
7 February 2018 | 13 min read

Three autism mouse models marked by defects in same circuit

Problems with social interactions stem from faulty wiring of a single circuit spanning distant brain regions, results from three mouse models of autism suggest.

By Nicholette Zeliadt
8 November 2017 | 4 min read

Off-key outcomes; visualizing variants; urine indifference and more

Music therapy proves ineffective for autism, brain structures differ with 16p11.2 duplications and deletions, and mice missing NLGN3 may influence the sociability of their littermates.

By Emily Willingham
11 August 2017 | 5 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

ABCD Study omits gender-identity data from latest release

The removal counteracts the goals of the longitudinal study by “pretending that some aspects of adolescent brain development don’t exist,” says sex differences researcher Nicola Grissom.

By Calli McMurray
11 July 2025 | 4 min read
Leafcutter ants carrying leaves.

Neuropeptides reprogram social roles in leafcutter ants

The mechanisms that control the labor roles of ants may also be conserved in naked mole rats, a new study shows.

By Shaena Montanari
11 July 2025 | 7 min listen
Illustration of overlapping, multi-colored human head silhouettes.

Perspectives from the field: Opinions in autism research

This collection of Spectrum articles from the past 12 months highlights expert perspectives on autism’s heritability and its link to biological sex, the value of transdiagnostic frameworks, and the field’s future, among other topics.

By Daisy Yuhas
10 July 2025 | 3 min read