Sleep
Recent articles
At the end of the earth with Paul-Antoine Libourel
The French researcher’s accomplishments working with chinstrap penguins in the Antarctic highlight the importance of recording sleep in the wild.
![A photograph of Paul-Antoine Libourel.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Lede-Libourel-1200-1024x692.webp)
At the end of the earth with Paul-Antoine Libourel
The French researcher’s accomplishments working with chinstrap penguins in the Antarctic highlight the importance of recording sleep in the wild.
Is excess brain fluid an early marker of autism?
Brain scans of hundreds of infants suggest that up to 80 percent of those with autism have unusual amounts of cerebrospinal fluid. Researchers are studying how this might contribute to the condition.
![A grid of four brain scans showing excess cerebrospinal fluid.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/1200-CSF-trends-autism-lede-final.png)
Is excess brain fluid an early marker of autism?
Brain scans of hundreds of infants suggest that up to 80 percent of those with autism have unusual amounts of cerebrospinal fluid. Researchers are studying how this might contribute to the condition.
The sleep/wake cycle and autism with Ashura Buckley
The NIH neurologist talks about her research, her family and how mental health labels can be limiting.
![An illustration of Ashura Buckley](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/1200-ashura-buckley-synaptic-autism-1024x692.jpg)
The sleep/wake cycle and autism with Ashura Buckley
The NIH neurologist talks about her research, her family and how mental health labels can be limiting.
Capturing autism’s sleep problems with devices nearable and wearable
Next-generation trackers could realize a long-standing research dream: conducting sleep studies in large numbers of autistic people.
![A young woman sleeps at home wearing a Dreem headband and surrounded by stuffed animals.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Manoach-home-sleep-monitoring-headband-closeup-811.jpg)
Capturing autism’s sleep problems with devices nearable and wearable
Next-generation trackers could realize a long-standing research dream: conducting sleep studies in large numbers of autistic people.
Adult Angelman mice get some benefit from boosting UBE3A gene expression
The treatment eases the animals’ sleep troubles, suggesting it has clinically meaningful effects beyond what was thought to be a critical window in early life.
Adult Angelman mice get some benefit from boosting UBE3A gene expression
The treatment eases the animals’ sleep troubles, suggesting it has clinically meaningful effects beyond what was thought to be a critical window in early life.
Asleep in the Mouse House with Graham Diering
Memories from Diering’s life trace the rising star’s scientific path from raising lizards as a child and later exploring home brewing to heading a lab that investigates memory, sleep disturbances and early development in animals with autism-linked mutations.
![Graham Diering smiles in a portrait in his yard.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Autism-Graham-Diering-844.jpg)
Asleep in the Mouse House with Graham Diering
Memories from Diering’s life trace the rising star’s scientific path from raising lizards as a child and later exploring home brewing to heading a lab that investigates memory, sleep disturbances and early development in animals with autism-linked mutations.
Autism-linked genes clock daily oscillations
Rhythmic variations in the genes’ brain expression levels may help explain the sleep problems that often accompany the condition.
![A grid of clocks placed over a colorful gene sequence.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/dna-clock-844.jpg)
Autism-linked genes clock daily oscillations
Rhythmic variations in the genes’ brain expression levels may help explain the sleep problems that often accompany the condition.
Autistic people at increased genetic risk of sleep problems
Compared with their unaffected siblings and unrelated controls, children with autism harbor more copy number variants in genes that govern the circadian cycle or are associated with insomnia.
![A young girl rubs her eyes in a dark room.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/844-genes-circadian-pathway-sleep-difficulties-insomnia-risk-autism.jpg)
Autistic people at increased genetic risk of sleep problems
Compared with their unaffected siblings and unrelated controls, children with autism harbor more copy number variants in genes that govern the circadian cycle or are associated with insomnia.
Sleepy mice with autism-linked mutation struggle to fall asleep
Mice with a mutated copy of SHANK3 fail to establish normal sleep patterns during development.
![Lab mice (Mus musculus), tribe Balbc, three 13 day old babies with eyes still closed, laying side by side](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SHANK3-Mice-Sleep-Development-Autism_844.jpeg)
Sleepy mice with autism-linked mutation struggle to fall asleep
Mice with a mutated copy of SHANK3 fail to establish normal sleep patterns during development.
Null and Noteworthy: Mind reading, specialist shortage, sleep problems source
This month, a commonly used emotion-recognition test doesn’t perform as expected — nor does a survey of past efforts to train autism specialists or a hunt for the sources of the sleep problems that often accompany the condition.
![Illustration of hybrid objects: part light bulb, part lab vial, some in blue and some in red to signify null and replicated results.](https://www.thetransmitter.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/844_Null2_01.jpg)
Null and Noteworthy: Mind reading, specialist shortage, sleep problems source
This month, a commonly used emotion-recognition test doesn’t perform as expected — nor does a survey of past efforts to train autism specialists or a hunt for the sources of the sleep problems that often accompany the condition.
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.