Moheb Costandi
Freelance Writer
SFARI
From this contributor
Uta and Chris Frith: A partnership of the mind
British psychologist Uta Frith has singlehandedly transformed our understanding of autism. In partnership with her husband, neuroimaging expert Chris Frith, she helped launch the field of cognitive neuroscience and shaped a generation of scientists.
![](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/image-archive/images/images-2014/profiles2014/20140828profilefrith.jpg)
Uta and Chris Frith: A partnership of the mind
Visual skills superior in autism, study says
People with autism are highly adept at detecting symmetry in patterns, according to a study published 29 April in PLoS ONE.
Simon Baron-Cohen: Theorizing on the mind in autism
Few scientists have a career that spans as wide a spectrum in autism research as Simon Baron-Cohen, professor of developmental psychopathology at the University of Cambridge in the U.K. And fewer still garner effusive compliments from those who don’t agree with them.
![](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/475565-2.jpg)
Simon Baron-Cohen: Theorizing on the mind in autism
‘Broken mirror’ concept of autism challenged
Several new studies challenge the ‘broken mirror’ hypothesis of autism, which suggests that defects in specialized brain cells called mirror neurons explain why people with the disorder find social interaction difficult.
Explore more from The Transmitter
Cell population in brainstem coordinates cough, new study shows
The work also adds to a growing body of evidence showing that mice, and their genetic toolbox, can be used to study cough.
![](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/1200_coughingmice-1024x720.webp)
Cell population in brainstem coordinates cough, new study shows
The work also adds to a growing body of evidence showing that mice, and their genetic toolbox, can be used to study cough.
In updated U.S. autism bill, Congress calls for funding boost, expanded scope
The current Autism CARES Act sunsets in late September.
![Capitol building](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/capitolhill-1200-1024x692.webp)
In updated U.S. autism bill, Congress calls for funding boost, expanded scope
The current Autism CARES Act sunsets in late September.
Ketamine targets lateral habenula, setting off cascade of antidepressant effects
The drug’s affinity for overactive cells in the “anti-reward” region may help explain its rapid and long-lasting results.
![Illustration of ketamine blocking open ion channels in active NMDA receptors, quieting the cells and disrupting downstream signaling involved in depression.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/1200-ketamine-receptor-transmitter-neuroscience-1024x683.webp)
Ketamine targets lateral habenula, setting off cascade of antidepressant effects
The drug’s affinity for overactive cells in the “anti-reward” region may help explain its rapid and long-lasting results.