Biological motion
Brain activity patterns may distinguish girls with autism
Atypical patterns of neuronal activity and gene expression in the striatum may characterize autism in girls, according to a new study.
![](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/20210602-FemaleAutism844.jpg)
Brain activity patterns may distinguish girls with autism
Atypical patterns of neuronal activity and gene expression in the striatum may characterize autism in girls, according to a new study.
Seeing connections between autism and blindness
Autism is unusually common among people with congenital blindness, in part because the ability to see drives much of brain development.
![Child hesitating in front of a giant eye showing areas of the brain, facial recognition and other connections related to sight.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/20191112-Blind844.jpg)
Seeing connections between autism and blindness
Autism is unusually common among people with congenital blindness, in part because the ability to see drives much of brain development.
What Ehlers-Danlos syndrome can teach us about autism
Not much is known about the connection between autism and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a condition that affects collagen. But preliminary work provides tantalizing clues.
![](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/EhlersDanlos-Casanova844.jpg)
What Ehlers-Danlos syndrome can teach us about autism
Not much is known about the connection between autism and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a condition that affects collagen. But preliminary work provides tantalizing clues.
People’s affinity for social cues is inherited, study suggests
Genetics may govern a person's ability to pay attention to social cues.
![Man's face with eyes looking left.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/20190419-SocialEye844.jpg)
People’s affinity for social cues is inherited, study suggests
Genetics may govern a person's ability to pay attention to social cues.
Quantitative tests of motor skills could improve autism care
New assessments of the subtle motor difficulties that characterize autism could improve autistic children's lives and teach us a lot about the condition.
![](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/20190326-Wilson844.jpg)
Quantitative tests of motor skills could improve autism care
New assessments of the subtle motor difficulties that characterize autism could improve autistic children's lives and teach us a lot about the condition.
Motor traits that mark autism remain elusive, large study finds
Motor problems in autistic infants may parallel those in infants with other developmental conditions.
![baby reaching for toy](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/20190813-BabySIbs-Motor844.jpg)
Motor traits that mark autism remain elusive, large study finds
Motor problems in autistic infants may parallel those in infants with other developmental conditions.
Oversold diets; big brains explained; tracking CRISPR and more
Benefits of diets for autism features remain unproven, variants of the same DNA region make brains big or small, and STAT announces a new CRISPR tracker.
Oversold diets; big brains explained; tracking CRISPR and more
Benefits of diets for autism features remain unproven, variants of the same DNA region make brains big or small, and STAT announces a new CRISPR tracker.
‘Syntax’ of mouse behavior may speak volumes about autism
An algorithm that decodes and quantifies mouse body language could reveal the brain circuits underlying certain autism features.
‘Syntax’ of mouse behavior may speak volumes about autism
An algorithm that decodes and quantifies mouse body language could reveal the brain circuits underlying certain autism features.
Movement perception, autism traits may share genetic roots
The ability to identify human-like movements is rooted in genetics — and may share those origins with autism traits.
![Genes may partly account for difficulties in processing biological motion.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/201802-BiologicalMotion844.jpg)
Movement perception, autism traits may share genetic roots
The ability to identify human-like movements is rooted in genetics — and may share those origins with autism traits.
Prenatal microbiome; standing by stereotypes; Common Rule delay and more
Microbiologists debate the existence of bacteria in the womb, yet another movie relies on stereotypes to portray a person with autism, and the U.S. federal government delays implementation of the Common Rule for clinical research.
Prenatal microbiome; standing by stereotypes; Common Rule delay and more
Microbiologists debate the existence of bacteria in the womb, yet another movie relies on stereotypes to portray a person with autism, and the U.S. federal government delays implementation of the Common Rule for clinical research.
Explore more from The Transmitter
Temperature tunes circadian timing in some desert mammals
Light has hogged all the attention in chronobiology research—but now, in camel, goat and mole rat experiments, temperature takes the lead.
![A man walks a dromedary camel down a hallway.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/camel-walking-1200-1024x692.webp)
Temperature tunes circadian timing in some desert mammals
Light has hogged all the attention in chronobiology research—but now, in camel, goat and mole rat experiments, temperature takes the lead.
Synaptic anomalies in autistic people support imbalance hypothesis
Increased excitatory and decreased inhibitory synapses in the prefrontal cortex of autistic people suggest broader impacts on brain function and connectivity.
![Research image of excitatory synapses in the prefrontal cortex.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Fig2BD3BD-1200-1024x692.webp)
Synaptic anomalies in autistic people support imbalance hypothesis
Increased excitatory and decreased inhibitory synapses in the prefrontal cortex of autistic people suggest broader impacts on brain function and connectivity.
Opioid receptors may guide formation of gut nervous system in zebrafish
Fish lacking functional copies of the receptors have fewer enteric neurons than usual, but the findings await further validation.
![Research image of enteric neurons in zebrafish.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Fig2D-fish-1200-1024x692.webp)
Opioid receptors may guide formation of gut nervous system in zebrafish
Fish lacking functional copies of the receptors have fewer enteric neurons than usual, but the findings await further validation.