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Recent articles

brains of different sizes in colorful, radiant space with echoing shapes
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Brain structures grow differently in boys, men with autism

Autistic boys and men show notable differences in brain development, according to magnetic resonance imaging scans taken over a 16-year period.

By Rebecca Sohn
19 May 2021 | 4 min read
Neurons show structural changes, seen in black and white.

Loss of a top autism gene may alter neuron structure

Mutations in the autism-linked gene ASH1L change how neurons grow and develop.

By Laura Dattaro
12 January 2021 | 3 min read
four brain areas marked with flags: Cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, cerebellum
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Brain structure changes in autism, explained

Autistic people have distinct patterns of brain development, which sometimes result in differences in brain structure. Here's what we know about those differences.

By Angie Voyles Askham
15 October 2020 | 6 min read
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Study links gene to inherited form of autism

Mutations in both copies of a gene called ACTL6B lead to autism, epilepsy and intellectual disability.

By Peter Hess
25 June 2020 | 6 min read
group of six brain images from children show white matter, anomalies shown in red areas

Structure of brain matter in young autistic children may show distinct patterns

The long fibers of neurons in the brains of young children with autism are structured differently from those of their neurotypical peers — and from those of older children with the condition.

By Alla Katsnelson
30 January 2020 | 5 min read
Two organoids connected by nerve fibers

In new device, brain organoids ‘talk’ to each other

A novel cell culture device enables researchers to grow bundles of nerve fibers from stem cells, mimicking the tissue that connects distant parts of the brain.

By Chloe Williams
14 June 2019 | 2 min read
illustration of mouse on sale in a city

‘Outmoded’ mouse models of autism may still yield new advances

Many researchers question the value of three early mouse models of autism, but the models have their staunch supporters.

By Nicholette Zeliadt
21 March 2018 | 6 min read

Decoding the overlap between autism and ADHD

Autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder often coincide, but the search for common biological roots has turned up conflicting evidence.

By Ricki Rusting
7 February 2018 | 13 min read
mouse with a sensor connected to brain

Three autism mouse models marked by defects in same circuit

Problems with social interactions stem from faulty wiring of a single circuit spanning distant brain regions, results from three mouse models of autism suggest.

By Nicholette Zeliadt
8 November 2017 | 4 min read

Off-key outcomes; visualizing variants; urine indifference and more

Music therapy proves ineffective for autism, brain structures differ with 16p11.2 duplications and deletions, and mice missing NLGN3 may influence the sociability of their littermates.

By Emily Willingham
11 August 2017 | 5 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Research image of brain scans showing the structural integrity of white-matter tracts.

Repeat scans reveal brain changes that precede childbirth

A detailed look at a “pregnant brain” highlights a need to investigate the neural alterations that occur during a transition experienced by nearly 140 million people worldwide each year.

By Shaena Montanari
16 September 2024 | 8 min read
Illustration of cranes attempting to assemble a structure out of very small black squares.

Reconstructing dopamine’s link to reward

The field is grappling with whether to modify the long-standing theory of reward prediction error—or abandon it entirely.

By Angie Voyles Askham
13 September 2024 | 18 min read
Illustration of cranes attempting to assemble a structure out of very small black squares.

Dopamine and the need for alternative theories

Some experimental findings are inconsistent with the dominant model of reward prediction error, highlighting the need for alternative testable and falsifiable models for dopamine function.

By Vijay Mohan K. Namboodiri
13 September 2024 | 7 min read