2012: Year in review

Recent articles

Spectrum from The Transmitter.

What stood out to you in 2012?

We packaged the year’s research highlights from our vantage point. What advances stood out to you in 2012? And where do you see the field going?

By Greg Boustead
20 December 2012 | 1 min read
Spectrum from The Transmitter.

Top tools and techniques of 2012

2012 saw many new exciting — and often colorful — technical advances, ranging from tools that build brains from the cell up to robots that can replace neuroscientists.

By Amedeo Tumolillo
20 December 2012 | 1 min read
Spectrum from The Transmitter.

Drugs in development for autism

A look at various drugs attempting to address autism and their stages of development.

By Amedeo Tumolillo
20 December 2012 | 1 min read
Spectrum from The Transmitter.

Top quotes of 2012

The top quotes of 2012.

By Amedeo Tumolillo
20 December 2012 | 1 min read
Spectrum from The Transmitter.

Predictions for 2013

Take a look through SFARI.org’s crystal ball to predict major developments in autism research in 2013.

By Amedeo Tumolillo
20 December 2012 | 2 min read
Spectrum from The Transmitter.

Most-viewed articles of 2012

A list of the ten stories that most caught our readers’ attention this year.

By Amedeo Tumolillo
20 December 2012 | 5 min read
Spectrum from The Transmitter.

Hot topics in 2012

New candidate genes, drugs in development and diagnostic debates were just a few of the themes that garnered intense interest this year.

By Amedeo Tumolillo
20 December 2012 | 9 min read
Spectrum from The Transmitter.

Director’s column: 2012 in review

SFARI director Gerald Fischbach comments on the year’s most notable papers.

By Gerald D. Fischbach
20 December 2012 | 6 min read
Spectrum from The Transmitter.

Notable papers of 2012

Among a wealth of exciting research, ten sets of papers made an impact this year.

By Amedeo Tumolillo
20 December 2012 | 4 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Violet-stained neurons in a serial transverse section from an embryonic spiny dogfish, a bottom-dwelling shark.

Digitization of ‘breathtaking’ neuroanatomy slide collection offers untapped research gold mine

Thousands of histological sections of vertebrate brains—including from spiny dogfish, turtles and more—are newly available online.

By Shaena Montanari
22 January 2025 | 3 min read
Research image of brain organoids with astroglia formation represented in green.

Personalized medicine; astroglia organoids; fast track for fragile X drug

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 20 January.

By Jill Adams
21 January 2025 | 2 min read
Illustration of clinicians, a pill bottle, a speech bubble and shadowy figures.

Neuroscientists need to do better at explaining basic mental health research

The knowledge gap between scientists, health-care professionals, policymakers and people with mental health conditions is growing, slowing the translation of basic science to new treatments. Like lawyers learning to present a case to the court, scientists should learn to educate nonscientists about their findings.

By Omar Abubaker, Karla Kaun, Eric J. Nestler
21 January 2025 | 7 min read