Spectrum: Autism Research News

Ramping up levels of one isoform of the autism-linked protein reverses traits in model mice, a new study shows.

Interneurons that fail to propagate electrical signals in mice that model Dravet syndrome may cause the animals, like people with the autism-linked condition, to die suddenly.

Scientists initially embraced the notion that autistic people have difficulty with ‘theory of mind’ — and some went so far as to assert that it explained the condition’s core traits. Many came to view it as passé, but aspects of the original idea are enjoying a renaissance.

Models trained on datasets that lack racial and ethnic diversity perform less accurately on brain scans from Black Americans than their white counterparts.

Some autism researchers and clinicians say they are boycotting the upcoming annual meeting of the International Society for Autism Research in Austin, Texas, because of the state’s controversial health policies and lack of COVID-19 mitigation strategies.

As postdoctoral positions become longer but salaries stay low, many researchers say they must decide whether they can afford an academic career.

Pups born to mothers that experience low oxygen during sleep have overactive mTOR signaling, which has been linked to some forms of autism.

An overreliance on small studies with limited reproducibility has slowed the advancement of neuroimaging, a new analysis suggests.

In the lab, neuroscientist Ben Rein studies mouse models of autism. But on TikTok, he’s fighting pseudoscience about his field, one video at a time.

Given the known link between severe maternal infections and autism, some scientists are investigating whether COVID-19 during pregnancy can affect a child’s neurodevelopment.