2017 in pictures: Spectrum’s picks for best images
We asked autism researchers to enter the Spectrum science image contest. Here are the top pics.
We asked autism researchers to enter the Spectrum science image contest. From sensational stem-cell snapshots to a ‘furry’ close-up of the hippocampus, these are the 10 top pics.










Fuzzy memories: A close-up of a human hippocampus, created by magnetic resonance imaging, shows the short-range connections critical for forming new memories.
Brainbow brilliance: Individual cells in the human brain reflect one of more than 100 hues after researchers treat the tissue with a combination of four dyes — a technique called ‘Brainbow.’
Creating connections: Two clusters of immature neurons (nuclei, red) derived from the cells of a child with autism form a bridge of fibers between them.
Magical mind: Data from magnetic resonance images of multiple human brains blend to form a colorful depiction of the bundles of nerve fibers (right) that transmit information in the brain.
In the pink: After seven days in culture, neural stem cells (pink) derived from a person with autism express a protein called beta-III tubulin (red) present in immature neurons.
Decoding device: This cell-recording machine captures the electrical activity of specific cells in slices of brain tissue that have been activated by light.
Simple cells: Neurons derived from people with autism have few branches (right). Exposing them to support cells called astrocytes (black) from controls leads to a more typical shape (left).
Rodent reveal: A 3-D model of a mouse brain shows more than 500 brain regions in great detail.
Painted cells: Three separate stains (green, red, blue) highlight precursors of human neurons grown in culture.
Rhapsody in green: Neurons infected with the rabies virus glow green in the hippocampus (memory hub) of the mouse brain.
Recommended reading

Autism traits, mental health conditions interact in sex-dependent ways in early development

New tool may help untangle downstream effects of autism-linked genes

NIH neurodevelopmental assessment system now available as iPad app
Explore more from The Transmitter

Five things to know if your federal grant is terminated
It’s time to examine neural coding from the message’s point of view
