Diagnosis

Recent articles

A stack of papers topped by many paper shreddings against a red background.

Exclusive: Springer Nature retracts, removes nearly 40 publications that trained neural networks on ‘bonkers’ dataset

The dataset contains images of children’s faces downloaded from websites about autism, which sparked concerns at Springer Nature about consent and reliability.

By Calli McMurray
8 December 2025 | 5 min read

Cell ‘antennae’ link autism, congenital heart disease

Variants in genes tied to both conditions derail the formation of cilia, the tiny hair-like structure found on almost every cell in the body, a new study finds.

By Lauren Schenkman
24 July 2025 | 0 min watch
Amina Abubakar, dressed in yellow, stands outside and looks into the camera lens.

Amina Abubakar translates autism research and care for Kenya

First an educator and now an internationally recognized researcher, the Kenyan psychologist is changing autism science and services in sub-Saharan Africa.

By Ruth Kadide Keah
29 May 2025 | 7 min read
Illustration of overlapping, multi-colored human head silhouettes.

CDC autism prevalence numbers warrant attention—but not in the way RFK Jr. proposes

The head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is ignoring decades of research findings.

By Lynn Waterhouse
1 May 2025 | 7 min read
Woman in a clinician's office.

Autism prevalence increasing in children, adults, according to electronic medical records

The uptick from 2011 to 2022 in the United States underscores a need for more services and research, the investigators say.

By Shaena Montanari
21 November 2024 | 2 min read
Two surreal heads touch each other’s faces.

The case for redefining ‘theory of mind’: Q&A with François Quesque

In a new commentary, Quesque and 44 experts in neuroscience and psychology propose a standardized lexicon for research on the attribution of mental states.

By Lauren Schenkman
10 October 2024 | 7 min read
Stock photograph of a women and her young child at a clinician’s office.

A genetics-first clinic for catching developmental conditions early: Q&A with Jacob Vorstman

A new clinic is assessing children who have a genetic predisposition for autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions—sometimes before traits appear.

By Lauren Schenkman
15 August 2024 | 7 min read
Illustrated portrait of So Hyun “Sophy” Kim.

Diagnosing autism and teaching neurodiversity with So Hyun “Sophy” Kim

The Korea University professor on her path to autism research and studying in the United States.

By Brady Huggett
1 July 2024 | 67 min listen
Multiple exposure of Rujuta Wilson facing the camera, and walking along her gait mat.

A new look at walking in early childhood: Q&A with Rujuta Wilson

Quantifying toddlers’ gaits promises to improve autism diagnosis and intervention.

By Charles Q. Choi
14 March 2024 | 6 min read
A slice of a cerebellum.

Mutation in top autism-linked gene may alter eye reflex

The discovery could help clinicians diagnose children who carry mutations in the gene, called SCN2A, and gauge their responses to potential therapies.

By Charles Q. Choi
26 February 2024 | 5 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Research image of organoids derived from stem cell lines from people with intellectual disability, polymicroglia or microcephaly, alongside a control organoid.

New organoid atlas unveils four neurodevelopmental signatures

The comprehensive resource details data on microcephaly, polymicrogyria, epilepsy and intellectual disability from 352 people.

By Diana Kwon
17 December 2025 | 4 min read

Can neuroscientists decode memories solely from a map of synaptic connections?

Five experts discuss the progress, possibilities and hurdles of decoding a “nontrivial” memory from an organism just by analyzing its brain connectivity patterns.

By Paul Middlebrooks
17 December 2025 | 1 min read
A scientist chases falling code with a butterfly net in a spare landscape with beautiful high clouds.

AI-assisted coding: 10 simple rules to maintain scientific rigor

These guidelines can help researchers ensure the integrity of their work while accelerating progress on important scientific questions.

By Russell Poldrack
16 December 2025 | 7 min read

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