ASHG 2018

Recent articles

Microscopic view of spermatozoa

Some autism mutations go undetected, new study suggests

Some mutations that contribute to autism and arise spontaneously may be mistaken for inherited mutations.

By Jessica Wright
5 December 2018 | 5 min read

Massive sequencing project identifies new genetic syndromes

The largest-ever set of sequences from people with developmental delay has revealed 43 new genetic diagnoses.

By Jessica Wright
23 October 2018 | 3 min read
Brain cells under magnification glow red, purple and blue.

Mini-brains may pin down key genes in large mutations

Clusters of brain cells — so-called 'mini-brains' grown in the lab — may help researchers understand how large stretches of duplicated or deleted DNA affect the brain.

By Jessica Wright
22 October 2018 | 3 min read
A digital drawing shows two groups of people forming large arrows, see from above.

Mutation types tied to autism converge on shared set of genes

Genes linked to autism in sequencing studies tend be located in long stretches of DNA that are duplicated or missing in some people with developmental conditions.

By Jessica Wright
18 October 2018 | 3 min read
A boy toddler learns to walk with an adult holding his hands.

Some ‘autism genes’ show stronger ties to related conditions

The largest autism sequencing study to date implicates 99 genes in the condition — but nearly half have a tighter link to intellectual disability or developmental delay.

By Jessica Wright
17 October 2018 | 3 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Emotion research has a communication conundrum

In 2025, the words we use to describe emotions matter, but their definitions are controversial. Here, I unpack the different positions in this space and the rationales behind them—and I invite 13 experts to chime in.

By Nicole Rust
5 September 2025 | 37 min listen

Autism-linked copy number variants always boost autism likelihood

By contrast, varied doses of the same genes decrease or increase the odds of five other conditions, with distinct biological consequences, two new preprints show.

By Natalia Mesa
4 September 2025 | 7 min listen

Everything everywhere all at once: Decision-making signals engage entire brain

The findings, gleaned from the most comprehensive map yet of brain activity during decision-making in mice, show that the process is even more distributed than previously thought.

By Claudia López Lloreda
3 September 2025 | 5 min read

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