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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Author

Angie Voyles Askham

Senior reporter

Angie Voyles Askham is Senior Reporter for Spectrum, where she covers neural circuits and gene therapy, among other topics. She proposed and writes Spectrum Launch, a monthly newsletter for early-career researchers. Before joining Spectrum in 2020, she worked in radio journalism and academic publishing. Voyles Askham has a Ph.D. in neuroscience from NYU and a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from Vanderbilt University. You can email her at [email protected] or find her on Twitter @avaskham.

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[email protected]

April 2023
Out-of-focus photograph of a young girl sitting at a desk using an eraser.

U.S. study charts changing prevalence of profound and non-profound autism

by  /  19 April 2023

Profound autism prevalence rose from 2002 to 2016, though not nearly as much as non-profound autism did.

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Research image of cortical structures in mice.

Autism-linked mutations scramble nascent cortical circuits

by  /  17 April 2023

By imaging and recording synaptic activity in living mouse embryos for the first time, new research reveals previously unknown patterns of development and hints at how those patterns are disrupted in autism.

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Illustration shows a road going into the distance, seen from the driver's point of view.

Spectrum Launch: The hidden costs of conference travel

by  /  6 April 2023

Most early-career researchers have to foot the bill for academic conferences and get reimbursed once they return. But not everyone can afford to wait for that payment.

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Six cross-sections of mouse brains.

Landmark atlases flag 5,000 cell types across mouse brain

by  /  6 April 2023

The work identifies new varieties and may help researchers develop tools to genetically target specific classes of cells.

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March 2023
Week of MarchMar
27th
2023

Spotted around the web: GABA interneurons; CDEP4; Black researchers

by , ,  /  31 March 2023

Here is a roundup of news and research for the week of 27 March.

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Research image of the posterior insular cortex.

Maternal immune response dulls male rats’ social radar

by  /  27 March 2023

Male rats prenatally exposed to a maternal immune response have atypical responses to other rats in distress, according to a new study.

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Week of MarchMar
20th
2023

Spotted around the web: Connectome resource; GIGYF1 gene; eLife controversy

by ,  /  24 March 2023

Here is a roundup of news and research for the week of 20 March.

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Adapted research image of immunofluorescence staining of primary cortical neurons showing expression of PTBP proteins and reduced level of the protein SYNGAP1.

‘Splice-switching’ strategy boosts SYNGAP1 expression

by  /  21 March 2023

The approach improves the function of SYNGAP1-deficient neurons in vitro, but whether it will work in people remains unclear.

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Still image showing activity of activity of neurons with genetic mutations in the 15q11-13 chromosomal region.

Single gene insufficient to account for dup15q, Angelman traits

by  /  21 March 2023

UBE3A, a key gene associated with both autism-linked conditions, can explain most — but not all — of the syndromes’ atypical neuronal properties.

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Week of MarchMar
13th
2023

Spotted around the web: Brain imaging replicability; CRISPR-edited neurons; sex-based variability in mice

by , ,  /  17 March 2023

Here is a roundup of news and research for the week of 13 March.

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