Lauren Gravitz is a freelance writer and editor in Hershey, Pennsylvania, who covers health, medicine, science and the environment. Her stories have appeared in Nature, Aeon, The Economist, Technology Review, O, The Oprah Magazine and Discover, among others.

Lauren Gravitz
Freelance Writer
SFARI.org
From this contributor
At the intersection of autism and trauma
Autism and post-traumatic stress disorder share many traits, but the connection between them was largely overlooked until now.
Autism’s drug problem
Many people on the spectrum take multiple medications — which can lead to serious side effects and may not even be effective.
Lack of DNA modification creates hotspots for mutations
The absence of a chemical alteration called methylation on some stretches of DNA makes them especially prone to mutations, according to a paper published in PLoS Genetics in May.

Lack of DNA modification creates hotspots for mutations
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Exclusive: Recruitment issues jeopardize ambitious plan for human brain atlas
A lack of six new brain donors may stop the project from meeting its goal to pair molecular and cellular data with the functional organization of the cortex.

Exclusive: Recruitment issues jeopardize ambitious plan for human brain atlas
A lack of six new brain donors may stop the project from meeting its goal to pair molecular and cellular data with the functional organization of the cortex.
How pragmatism and passion drive Fred Volkmar—even after retirement
Whether looking back at his career highlights or forward to his latest projects, the psychiatrist is committed to supporting autistic people at every age.

How pragmatism and passion drive Fred Volkmar—even after retirement
Whether looking back at his career highlights or forward to his latest projects, the psychiatrist is committed to supporting autistic people at every age.
The brain’s quiet conductor: How hidden cells fine-tune arousal
New research published today suggests that the pericoeruleus acts as a kind of micromanager of arousal, selectively inhibiting different subgroups of locus coeruleus neurons depending on the behavioral context.
The brain’s quiet conductor: How hidden cells fine-tune arousal
New research published today suggests that the pericoeruleus acts as a kind of micromanager of arousal, selectively inhibiting different subgroups of locus coeruleus neurons depending on the behavioral context.