Spectrum: Autism Research News

Research roundup

• Neurons in the amygdala mediate primates’ ability to observe and predict another’s behavior. Cell
• Researchers failed to link gene variants involved in circadian rhythms with sleep problems in autistic children. Biological Research for Nursing
• Autism is expensive for families, and education costs are especially burdensome, according to a literature review. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
• Family physicians in Turkey are inadequately aware of autism. Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences
• Sleep problems strongly predict poor quality of life in autistic adults. Autism Research
• Rhesus monkeys exposed to an activated maternal immune system in utero show brain changes reminiscent of schizophrenia. Translational Psychiatry
• Autistic college students who are female or have attention deficient hyperactivity disorder tend to have poor psychological health. Autism Research
• First-person narratives about having autism contain language of both medical disability and neurodiversity. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology
• A new gene therapy restores immune function in infants with severe immunodeficiency. The New England Journal of Medicine
• Having black scientist role models helps black female STEM students feel a sense of belonging at their institution. Psychology of Women Quarterly

Science and society

• The National Institutes of Health will name names next week in its crackdown on non-U.S. grantees who have broken the agency’s rules about how to use funds and protect intellectual property. Science
• A new Twitter account, @justsaysinmice, calls out health news reports that frame findings from mouse research as advice for people. STAT
• How much did a Stanford University researcher know about the ethically questionable research that led to gene-edited babies in China? The New York Times
• California considers legislating public records requests, which are often used to contest scientific evidence and can pose logistical challenges for university faculty members. Undark
• Several clinical trials are testing CRISPR to treat blood disorders, blindness and cancer in adults. NPR
• Mouse studies are poor tests of potential therapies for neurological conditions, a biotech executive writes in an opinion piece. STAT
• Paul Greengard, who won the 2000 Nobel Prize for his work on how brain cells communicate, has died at 93. The New York Times
• Portable brain-imaging technology raises ethical questions about information sharing and informed consent. Science
• Families with inherited gene disorders share their perspectives on gene editing in human embryos. STAT
• Childhood vaccination is becoming a partisan issue in the United States, with Republicans opposing Democrat-sponsored bills designed to curb vaccine refusal. Politico

Autism and the arts

• Kambel Smith, a young autistic artist, was honored by the Philadelphia City Council for his work portraying Philadelphia landmarks in sculpture. CBS Philly
• The National Disability Theater has commissioned two new works by artists with disabilities. Playbill

Job moves

• Neuroscientist Kay Tye announced on Twitter her move from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California. @kaymtye