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September 2013

New method uses light to toggle gene expression

by  /  25 September 2013

Researchers have modified optogenetics — a technique that activates neurons in mouse brains with beams of light — to toggle a gene on or off. They reported the advance 22 August in Nature.

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Rett syndrome mutation alters motor function in zebrafish

by  /  18 September 2013

Mutating MeCP2, the gene linked to Rett syndrome, in zebrafish allows researchers to investigate the disorder early in development, according to a study published 16 July in Frontiers in Neural Circuits.

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Technique probes gene expression in intact tissue

by  /  11 September 2013

A new method allows researchers to highlight mutations in individual cells without first isolating the cells from the surrounding tissue, according to a study in the August Nature Methods.

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Rats armed to catch up to mice as top mammalian model

by  /  4 September 2013

Researchers have developed a method to engineer rats so that they lack a certain gene in only select regions of the brain, they report in the July issue of Nature Methods.

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August 2013

Genetic switch labels active neurons in mouse brains

by  /  28 August 2013

A new method, described 5 June in Neuron, allows researchers to tag only those neurons that are active during the following 12-hour time window.

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New genetic background elicits aggression in mouse model

by  /  21 August 2013

Mice lacking neurexin-1, an autism-linked protein that helps stabilize the junctions between neurons, are highly aggressive, according to a study published 28 June in PLoS One. These mice share a consistent genetic background, which may account for this being the first social deficit seen in mice lacking this protein. 

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Subgroups improve genetic analysis of autism

by  /  14 August 2013

Researchers can increase the power of studies that link genetic variants to autism by factoring in potential subgroups of the disorder, according to a report published 26 June in PLoS One.
 

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Genetic test highlights autism-linked chromosome blips

by  /  7 August 2013

A new clinical test for duplications or deletions of chromosomal regions is customized to detect more than 380 known changes, including many that are linked to autism. The method was published 24 June in the American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A.

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July 2013

New test looks at emotion recognition without words

by  /  31 July 2013

A clever new test assesses whether someone with autism can recognize emotions from facial expressions without needing to name them. The test was described in the 26 June issue of Frontiers in Psychology.

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Folding mat reveals motor deficits in severe autism

by  /  24 July 2013

Using a portable mat embedded with pressure sensors, researchers have shown that adults with severe autism walk more slowly than controls do. The results were published 20 May in Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience.

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