News / Spectrum

Aggression; Angelman syndrome; NLGN3

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 7 October.

By Jill Adams
8 October 2024 | 2 min read
comments
https://doi.org/10.53053/QTZW7179 https://doi.org/10.53053/QTZW7179 - opens a new tab Cite this article
  • Aggression, often seen in people with autism and developmental conditions, appears to peak in school-age children and is more likely to occur in those with more autism traits and lower verbal and nonverbal IQ scores, according to a longitudinal study. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
  • A new method of imaging cytoarchitecture shows altered neuron density—both cell bodies and projections—in people with autism, and this difference varies by brain region. Autism Research
  • Cerebral organoids derived from stem cells from people with MEF2C-haploinsufficiency syndrome, which is associated with autism and intellectual disability, display an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory network activity, which can be ameliorated with an NMDA receptor antagonist. Molecular Psychiatry
Research image of neuronal firing in cultured cells.
Finding balance: Excess neuronal firing in cultured cells from people with MEF2C-haploinsufficiency syndrome (top panels) is attenuated by an NMDA antagonist (bottom panels).
  • Reinstating a functional copy of the gene UBE3A reverses behavioral and proteome changes in a mouse model of Angelman syndrome, even when the initial gene deletion encompasses adjacent genes, according to a preprint. Spectrum has previously covered how nearby genes contribute to Angelman syndrome traits. bioRxiv
  • A large study of autistic people of Asian ancestry adds diversity and complexity to current data on sex differences in gene-phenotype relationships. Genome Medicine
  • Clinicians tend to assess autism traits in girls as less severe, and those in boys as more severe, than the children’s caregivers do. Autism
  • Mice missing the autism-linked gene NLGN3 in the medial septum show altered sociability and sleep patterns, suggesting a shared biological substrate for these two autism-like behaviors. The Journal of Clinical Investigation

Sign up for the weekly Spectrum newsletter.

Stay current with the latest advancements in autism research.

Recommended reading

Research image of regional structural differences in the brains of neurodiverse people.
Spectrum

Cortical myelination; early vocabulary; EEG in tuberous sclerosis

By Jill Adams
28 January 2025 | 2 min read
Research image of cells lacking microexon 4.
Spectrum

Protein aggregates gum up ‘master regulator’ of autism-linked genes

By Giorgia Guglielmi
23 January 2025 | 4 min read
Research image of brain organoids with astroglia formation represented in green.
Spectrum

Personalized medicine; astroglia organoids; fast track for fragile X drug

By Jill Adams
21 January 2025 | 2 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Community

Protocol-sharing site aims to ease administrative burden of animal research

By Calli McMurray
29 January 2025 | 4 min read
By clicking to watch this video, you agree to our privacy policy.
Brain Inspired Microphone

David Robbe challenges conventional notions of time and memory

By Paul Middlebrooks
29 January 2025 | 98 min listen
Abstract illustration of a feminine face in structural flux.
Sex differences in the brain

Revisiting sex and gender in the brain

By Marija Kundakovic
28 January 2025 | 8 min read