Connecting threads: Transcriptional changes seen in cortical organoids derived from people with dup15q syndrome are consistent with those detected in postmortem brain samples, according to a new study. Affected processes included increased glycolysis, disrupted marker expression and aberrant morphology. Previous work by this research group found parallels between dup15q syndrome and idiopathic autism. The investigators […]
Why should autistic adults of a certain age get a colonoscopy? Well, the numbers are scary—1 person in 25 is at risk of developing colorectal cancer during their lifetime. Luckily, there is something that you can do about it. You can get a colonoscopy, which can detect precancerous colorectal growths before they become malignant. Colonoscopies […]
A new research initiative from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) seeks to gather and analyze multiple autism-related datasets to better understand the underlying causes of the condition. Letters of intent are due tomorrow, but the project’s atypical call for applications has autism scientists divided on whether or not to participate. The Autism Data […]
Kettle of fish: More than two dozen strains of zebrafish with autism-linked gene variants share overlapping developmental pathways that lead to differences in social behavior, brain activity patterns and brain size, according to a new study. Molecular drivers of the differences include altered function in neuropeptide signaling, neuronal maturation and cell proliferation, which the authors […]
For the past 15 years, Peter Kind, professor of neuroscience at the University of Edinburgh, has tracked a worrying statistical error: pseudoreplication, or analyzing samples from the same animal as if they were independent specimens. This practice can lead to effects that look statistically significant when they are not. For example, in an experiment with […]
Visual cues: Sensory neurons in the retina display altered structure and function in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome, according to a new study. Retinal ganglion cells—homologous to primate ganglion cells—received more inhibitory input and were less responsive to light in mice lacking the gene FMR1 compared with the same cells in wildtype mice. […]
Low genetic diversity across a person’s genome predisposes those with PTEN variants to neurodevelopmental conditions, a new study suggests. The findings may explain why people carrying the same PTEN variant often experience different clinical outcomes. Among people with neurodevelopmental conditions and PTEN variants, increased homozygosity—which occurs when a person carries the same variant in both […]
Content Note: Mention of death and of a deceased person Can we talk about the term “low support needs”? It looks like you all just took the term “high functioning,” switched “high” with “low,” and added two different words at the end. The problem is ableds read these terms the same way. I know you […]
You want to feel close. You want to be present during sex. But instead, your brain won’t stop buzzing. You’re thinking about your to-do list, or that weird sound the fan is making, or how your bra strap suddenly feels like a vice grip. Your brain might obsessively loop on whether you’re “doing it right” […]
Sex specifics: Social and externalizing traits may be linked in distinct ways to people with XXY (or Kleinfelter) syndrome as opposed to those with XYY syndrome, according to a new study. For example, people with XYY syndrome tend to have attention, impulsivity and social problems, whereas those with XXY syndrome tend to have social problems […]
The International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) is pausing its annual INSAR Institute for the year, it announced last week. The institute, a series of webinars about autism research that are designed to be accessible to students, early-career investigators and non-experts, has been held in June and July since its start in 2015. The popular […]
What is ABA therapy, or Applied Behavioral Analysis? Why is it an inappropriate therapy for autistic kids? How did Ivar Lovaas convinced parents that ABA was better for their autistic kids than other options? How did ABA edge out other autism approaches? We recently sat down with Anne Borden King to discuss her new book […]
