Research roundup
- Mutations in the gene TCF4, which cause a form of autism called Pitt-Hopkins syndrome, may drive changes in brain interneurons. Developmental Neuroscience
- Defining individualized outcomes for adults with autism, who have a range of abilities and challenges, could aid intervention studies. Autism
- Pediatricians can help educate autistic teenagers about their own sexuality, including their changing bodies, feelings and behaviors. Pediatrics
- Melatonin may shorten the time it takes autistic children to fall asleep, according to a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
- When conversing with a stranger, people on the spectrum may use a suite of camouflaging behaviors. Autism
- Autistic people appear to show less activation than non-autistic people in the striatum, a brain area that responds to reward. NeuroImage: Clinical
- Mice lacking the autism-linked gene CNTNAP2 appear to be deficient in time perception. Behavioural Processes
- Many people on the spectrum dislike talking by phone, preferring email or other written communication. Autism
Science and society
- A residential facility designed for young adults on the spectrum who are transitioning to college or internships has opened in Worcester, Massachusetts. Worcester Magazine
- Researchers are wrestling with how to relaunch projects they put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic. STAT
- A proposed California law that would close current loopholes in covering behavioral health treatments for children with autism has earned approval of the state’s Senate Health Committee. Sierra Sun Times
