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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Tag: microglia

December 2023
Research image of microglia in mice.

Microglial overreaction to atypical neurons may drive autism

by  /  7 December 2023

In mice and organoids lacking a neuronal protein, microglia prune synapses to excess.

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October 2023
Research image of various types of cells.

Vast diversity of human brain cell types revealed in trove of new datasets

by  /  12 October 2023

The collection offers a glimpse into differences in cell composition — across people and brain regions — that may shape neural function.

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June 2023
Research image comparing microglia with serotonin receptors to those without.

Serotonin powers pruning of developing brain circuits in mice

by  /  28 June 2023

Mice with microglia missing receptors for the neurotransmitter serotonin since birth have too many synapses and show social difficulties in adulthood.

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May 2023
Research image of zebrafish forebrains.

Autism-related genes converge on microglia and dopamine in zebrafish

by  /  12 May 2023

The findings add to the growing evidence that genes with disparate functions can play similar roles in brain development.

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Still image taken from research video of three human microglia surveying their surroundings in a new experimental setup for studying the cells.

Grafted organoids reveal how microglia adapt to shifting brain environments

by  /  11 May 2023

The chimeric mouse model could provide a more realistic way to study microglia’s roles in brain conditions such as autism.

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April 2023
Research image of radial glial cells in a human brain organoid.

Immune molecule alters cellular makeup of human brain organoids

by  /  5 April 2023

The changes may help explain the link between maternal infection and autism, though more research is needed.

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January 2023
A sliced section of a human brain is displayed for a photograph.

Immunity-linked genes expressed differently in brains of autistic people

by  /  6 January 2023

Postmortem brain samples from people with one of six conditions, including autism, show distinct signatures of over- and underexpression of immune genes.

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December 2022
Illustration of a pregnant woman seated next to a large diagram of the brain featuring chromosomes, bacteria and other microbes.

The link between maternal infection and autism, explained

by  /  13 December 2022

Having an infection during pregnancy is tied to a small increase in the chances of having an autistic child, but the connection may not be causal.

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Mapping tool reveals microglia’s shape-shifting secrets

by  /  9 December 2022

The approach could help test hypotheses about how atypical function of the brain’s immune cells contributes to autism.

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Composite image of inhibitory and excitatory neurons.

One-rosette technique grows well-organized organoids

by  /  2 December 2022

The method yields complex organoids that more closely mimic embryonic brain development than do those cultured in other ways.

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