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Spectrum: Autism Research News

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Emerging tools and techniques that may advance autism research.

Previous articles
November 2018
Mice in a lab test on a rotarod.

Careful mouse tests could forecast fate of Angelman drugs

by  /  2 November 2018

A new protocol enables researchers to rigorously test drugs for Angelman syndrome in mice.

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October 2018
Recordings from the mouse visual cortex flash pink and orange.

New tool provides real-time glimpse of brain activity in mice

by  /  26 October 2018

A transparent set of electrodes enables researchers to simultaneously record electrical signals and visualize neurons in the brains of awake mice.

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A photograph with text and colors shows an actor with objects that might distract or attract, at a desk.

Eye-tracking test may reveal autism risk, severity

by  /  19 October 2018

Two novel algorithms that analyze where a child looks as she views a video could help clinicians spot autism.

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Rapid method connects DNA shape to gene activity in cells

by  /  12 October 2018

A new technique reveals the active genes and the regions that regulate them in thousands of single cells at once.

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Neurons in lab grown brain glow green, red and blue.

New techniques extend tool kit for constructing ‘mini-brains’

by  /  5 October 2018

Two new methods for building ‘mini-brains’ may help researchers study how early brain development differs in people with autism.

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September 2018
Mouse brain photograph shows the area of drug delivery highlighted in red.

Brain implant mutes seizure-like activity in mice

by  /  28 September 2018

A new brain implant pumps chemical signals directly into a target region to ease seizure-like activity in mice.

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Two zebrafish swimming.

Blind dates for zebrafish reveal ‘social’ cells in brain

by  /  21 September 2018

A new behavioral test in zebrafish may help researchers zero in on the biology of social interactions.

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DNA twisting in black space

Two tools speed the search for mutations in whole genomes

by  /  14 September 2018

Software to identify genetic variants, along with a new synthetic human genome, could help scientists discover mutations associated with conditions such as autism.

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New mouse model paves way for Rett syndrome treatments

by  /  7 September 2018

A new line of female mice may enable researchers to test gene-based therapies for Rett syndrome.

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August 2018
Neurons glow green in a mouse brain.

New tool triggers gene expression in select neurons in rodents

by  /  31 August 2018

Injecting a virus toting snippets of RNA into the rodent brain enables researchers to express genes in specific neuron types.

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