Spectrum: Autism Research News

Research roundup

• Pediatricians may need more training to help families access school accommodations, particularly with virtual or hybrid learning formats, according to research in pediatric oncology settings. JAMA Pediatrics
• One in four people with a PTEN gene mutation has autism or traits of it, according to a review of studies. Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Modeling interneuron migration in forebrain assembloids derived from people with Timothy syndrome has revealed altered functioning of cytoskeletal proteins. Cell Stem Cell
• Researchers have made progress in using brain organoids to model neurodevelopmental conditions, according to a review article. Cell Regeneration
• After cochlear implantation, deaf autistic children show a wide range of outcomes in terms of communication and attention skills, according to a parent survey. Spectrum covered the overlap of autism and hearing loss in a feature in 2020. Otology & Neurotology
• Socioeconomic status, maternal depression during pregnancy and maternal smoking appear to influence autism trait severity in children, according to birth cohort study in Australia. Autism
• Medical trainees and doctors in Russia have limited knowledge of treatment options for autism. BMC Medical Education
• Mice with a specific mutation in the CACNA1C gene, which is linked to autism and other brain conditions, have altered neuronal activity and social behavior. Translational Psychiatry
• Researchers describe a novel missense mutation of the NLGN3 gene, found in 25 percent of autistic people studied in northern India. Genomics & Informatics

Science and society

• A group of geneticists has published a remembrance of their colleague Stephen Warren, a fragile X expert and former journal editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Human Genetics. American Journal of Human Genetics
• The U.S. National Institutes of Health has updated its NIH Brain Initiative to focus on three goals: an atlas of brain cell types, a connectivity map and tools that can target specific cells. Cell
• A group of researchers experienced in infant brain imaging answer common questions raised in peer review. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
• An autistic woman fired for “unprofessional communication” has sued her North Carolina-based employer, invoking the Americans with Disabilities Act. The News & Observer
• A neurologist and a campaign professional make a case for neuro-advocacy, arguing that physicians should speak up and lobby for policies that benefit people with neurologic conditions. JAMA Neurology

Cite this article: https://doi.org/10.53053/KSKX2612