What’s the hardest part of an autism researcher’s job?
Scientists dish about the biggest challenges they face as they tackle tough questions about autism.
Scientists dish about the biggest challenges they face as they tackle tough questions about autism.
A tool kit of light-sensitive proteins allows researchers to mute communication between specific sets of neurons in mice.
Some children who ‘outgrow’ autism may not have had it to begin with; researchers are wasting time and money studying the wrong cells; and talk about CRISPR’s future stirs up the past.
A new method uses luminescent proteins to switch neurons on or off in the brains of freely moving rats.
Tiny pulses of blue light dampen the expression of inflammatory genes in microglia, and may cause unplanned effects when using optogenetics.
A miniature microscope made from cheap, ‘off-the-shelf’ parts can track firing neurons in the brains of freely moving mice.
A new device lets researchers wirelessly stimulate the brains of rodents as they explore their cages, and can deliver drugs at the same time. Its use could identify brain circuits that mediate autism-like behaviors.
Many people with autism have trouble interpreting and responding to social cues. Studying how rats learn from each other can provide insights into the human social brain, says Amiel Rosenkranz.
This sweet story behind optogenetics will inspire you, and autism experts swarm Salt Lake City.
A transparent sensor crafted from thin sheets of carbon allows researchers to record brain activity in mice, reports a paper published 20 October in Nature Communications.