Spectrum: Autism Research News

Research roundup

• Researchers have created a biobank of stem-cell-derived neurons that scientists can use to study autism-related mutations and potential therapies. eLife
• Children whose mothers took epilepsy drugs during pregnancy are unusually likely to have behavioral problems. Epilepsia
• Brain circuits that connect touch sensations to body location develop early in mice, well before actual sensory experience begins. Science
• Most parents of autistic children want to be educated about genetic testing and prefer online resources. Autism Research
• When given hypothetical scenarios of bullying, parents of autistic children rate the behavior as more severe than do childless adults. Autism

Science and society

• A research-integrity officer argues that institutions should make investigations of scientific misconduct public after they are complete. Nature
• A first-person essay explores the connections between adolescent self-harm and adult repetitive behaviors, such as picking at and chewing one’s own hands. The New York Times
• Presidential candidate Joe Biden has made children’s mental health part of his platform by calling for more school psychologists in the United States. Kaiser Health News
• The founders of the preprint publisher bioRxiv have launched a pilot server for clinical studies, called medRxiv. Nature
• Watching “Sesame Street” episodes featuring Julia, a muppet with autism, increases knowledge and acceptance of autism in parents of neurotypical children. Disability Scoop
• A Maryland-based charity organizes judgment-free events for autistic children and their families at water parks, movie theaters and gyms. The Washington Post
• A Russian scientist is seeking approval to implant CRISPR gene-edited embryos into women. Nature
• A program to support autistic college students at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York has become a model for campuses across the U.S. Inside Higher Ed
• Parents of autistic children sometimes discover that they themselves are autistic. The Washington Post
• Armani Williams, 18, is the first NASCAR driver with autism. Face2face Africa

Autism and the arts

• An exhibit with works by autistic artists accompanied the National Autism Conference this week in Cleveland. News 5 Cleveland