Autism

Recent articles

Illustration of four faces of a rhesus macaque transitioning from opaque to transparent.

Autism research involving monkeys contends with uphill battle

Macaques and marmosets recapitulate the condition’s core traits better than mice can, but funding uncertainty and challenges at primate centers in the United States could make this work difficult to continue.

By Diana Kwon
2 November 2026 | 8 min read
Gerry Fischbach at a podium.

Remembering Gerry Fischbach, ‘orchestra conductor’ who brought scientists together

Fischbach, who died 25 October, elucidated the dynamic changes in neuromuscular junctions. Beyond the lab, he shaped careers, academic departments and scientific societies.

By Claudia López Lloreda
29 October 2026 | 8 min read
Protein asparagine synthetase in hippocampus neurons.

Behavioral phenomics in zebrafish; and more

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 26 October.

By Jill Adams
27 October 2026 | 2 min read
A boy manipulates blocks at a table while sitting across from a woman taking notes.

Prevalence of profound autism declines with new definition

The updated, more precise definition used in a CDC study includes adaptive scores.

By Brianna Abbott
22 October 2026 | 5 min read
Illustration of an open journal featuring lines of text and small illustrations of eyes and mouths.

COVID-19 and influenza effects in pregnancy; and more

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 19 October.

By Jill Adams
20 October 2026 | 2 min read
Illustration of five purple rectangles arranged three-dimensionally like folders on a black background with a pattern of white dots and white plus signs.

Highly cited autism paper earns expression of concern over data duplications

The notice, published in Nature last week, also addressed an image duplication identified by a prominent research-integrity sleuth.

By Madeline Shaw
16 October 2026 | 4 min read
Research image of resting-state functional MRI.

Acetaminophen effects on developing brain organoids; and more

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 12 October.

By Jill Adams
13 October 2026 | 1 min read
Illustration of hands holding cash.

Private initiative makes ‘historic’ investment in autism research

Aligning Research to Impact Autism has committed more than $450 million to build a new multidisciplinary research network to uncover the roots of profound autism and develop treatments.

By Madeline Shaw
13 October 2026 | 4 min read
Reflections of primates in lab glassware (bottom left: Rhesus macaque, top left: Pig-tailed macaque, bottom right: Crab-eating macaque. top right: Marmoset

What if nonhuman primate research goes away?

As the U.S. government takes steps to stop using nonhuman primates in research, The Transmitter investigates what that shift could mean for neuroscience.

By The Transmitter
9 October 2026 | 2 min read
Stock illustration of strands of DNA with mutations.

Number of autism-linked genes more than triples in new analyses

In addition to a new preprint that expands the list of genes tied to the condition, two related analyses reveal how variants in those genes contribute to genetic susceptibility.

By Holly Barker
8 October 2026 | 6 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Brain Flows book cover

‘Brain Flows: How Network Dynamics Compose the Human Mind,’ an excerpt

In his new book, published today, Michael W. Cole examines how the movement of neuronal activity between neuronal populations shapes free will, intelligence and creativity. In this excerpt from Chapter 1, Cole explores why activity flows could unify efforts to map brain functions and connectivity.

By Michael W. Cole
3 November 2026 | 9 min read
Research image showing copy number variants in prenatal cortical neurons.

Prenatal pruning of neurons with copy number variants; and more

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 2 November.

By Jill Adams
3 November 2026 | 2 min read

New Stanford initiative aims to build digital twin of human brain

The effort, funded by private donors, seeks to train the model on a trove of MRI and magnetoencephalography data that scientists plan to collect over the next five years—but questions about its scientific utility and feasibility remain.

By Natalia Mesa
2 November 2026 | 0 min watch