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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Tag: rare variants

December 2015

Notable papers of 2015

by  /  22 December 2015

Our top 10 papers for this year, based on input from autism researchers, capture the full spectrum of findings — from molecular biology to large-scale epidemiology.

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Week of DecemberDec
14th
2015

Cautionary tale; lighter load; name game

by  /  18 December 2015

Prenatal screening for some disorders crosses into dangerous territory, researchers spurn paperwork in favor of science, and a list of hilarious paper titles will make your day.

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November 2015

Long-awaited databases reveal breadth of genetic variation

by  /  4 November 2015

Two massive efforts to sequence the DNA of more than 11,000 people together provide the most detailed picture yet of genetic variation in the general population.

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October 2015

In search of factors that shield girls against autism

by  /  19 October 2015

Identifying the factors that protect girls from autism may help us understand and possibly treat the disorder.

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New clues connect chemical messenger to autism

by  /  16 October 2015

New evidence implicates the neurotransmitter glycine, which dampens brain signals, in autism.

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August 2015

Control centers for genes rife with autism-linked DNA blips

by  /  3 August 2015

DNA sequences called enhancers — which boost the expression of genes from within or outside them — are enriched for genetic variants linked to autism, suggests a new study. The finding may help researchers understand how variants outside genes contribute to autism.

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May 2015

Facebook, brain games may reveal DNA deletion’s effects

by  /  4 May 2015

Researchers are using social media and an online ‘brain-training’ program to study people with rare chromosomal abnormalities linked to autism.

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March 2015

Stunted squeaks signal social deficits in autism model

by  /  5 March 2015

Male mice with a genetic variant linked to autism vocalize less in social situations than controls do during encounters with female mice. The findings help to characterize the effects of variants in the 16p11.2 chromosomal region.

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February 2015

Study downgrades autism gene’s effects to rare glitches

by  /  16 February 2015

After eight years of prominence as an autism risk gene, a new analysis significantly brings down CNTNAP2’s importance in the disorder: According to the study, rare mutations in a single copy of the gene are unlikely to cause autism. 

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Week of FebruaryFeb
9th
2015

Spotted: Maladjusted foals; Kanner controversy

by  /  13 February 2015

Some newborn horses have features of autism, and researchers argue over who first described the disorder.

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