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The latest developments in neuroscience

Research image of mice microglia.

Single-gene systems-level effects, and more

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 6 April.

By Jill Adams
7 April 2026 | 2 min read
Research image of fibroblasts creating a seal that separates the blood vessels in the choroid plexus from the rest of the brain.

Newly identified barrier cells seal off choroid plexus from CSF, rest of brain

A long-overlooked layer of fibroblasts exists inside the choroid plexus of mice and humans, adding complexity to the area’s compartmentalization.

By Claudia López Lloreda
3 April 2026 | 4 min read
Digital model of a fly next to a digital model of a nematode.

‘Digital sphinx’ raises questions about connectome models

The sphinx, with a worm’s brain and a fly’s body, illustrates the potential pitfalls of using deep-learning techniques to model biological processes.

By Natalia Mesa
2 April 2026 | 5 min read
Astrocytes in a mouse brain.

Taking a closer look at astrocytes and autism

These glial cells are increasingly linked to neurodevelopmental conditions and the regulation of social behaviors and anxiety.

By The Transmitter
2 April 2026 | 2 min read
Magnifying glass.

Researchers retract multisensory learning paper after failed replications

Even though one set of experiments did not hold up, the authors stand by the original conclusions of the work and plan to resubmit it as a new paper.

By Calli McMurray
31 March 2026 | 4 min read
Mouse brain slices.

Cortical evolution, ZBTB18, and more

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 30 March.

By Jill Adams
31 March 2026 | 2 min read
Drawing of a brain.

Letter asks Congress for nearly $500 million to sustain BRAIN Initiative

The one-time boost would help counter the planned end this year to one of the program’s long-standing funding streams, which will result in a $195 million drop in funding for fiscal year 2027.

By Angie Voyles Askham
31 March 2026 | 3 min read
A blue comment bubble is pinned down by crisscrossing red threads and pins.

Neuroscience conference policy draws confusion, apology

NeurIPS organizers apologized and altered course after issuing a policy that barred submissions from researchers at U.S.-government-sanctioned institutions.

By Dalmeet Singh Chawla
27 March 2026 | 5 min read
Assembloids in a petri dish.

Funding for animal research alternatives reaches ‘inflection point’

The United States and Europe are dedicating hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to advance novel alternative methods, but not all neuroscientists see this as a positive step.

By Claudia López Lloreda
26 March 2026 | 4 min read

Head direction cells stably orient mice to outside world

The cells’ representations show little drift over time—unlike those of other navigation system neurons—and may provide a “rigid backbone” for more flexible sensory and cognitive responses.

By Angie Voyles Askham
25 March 2026 | 0 min watch

Explore more from The Transmitter

Book cover of The Brain, In Theory by Romain Brette.

‘The Brain, In Theory,’ an excerpt

In his new book, Brette pushes back against theories that describe the brain as a “biological computer.” In this excerpt from Chapter 4, he challenges equating brain evolution with programming, and the universality of neural network models.

By Romain Brette
7 April 2026 | 5 min read
Kieth Hengen looks through a small window, aligning his face with a fancy moustache sticker and rolling his eyes comically to the side.

Computational neuroscientist Keith Hengen explains his work through illustrations

The images help him communicate the “big-picture ideas” behind the mathematical principles of neuronal networks.

By Helena Kudiabor
7 April 2026 | 3 min read

What a bird’s-eye view of half a million papers reveals about neuroscience

New research uses artificial-intellligence-driven bibliometrics to map the structural organization of neuroscience across 25 years. The field it reveals is at once thriving and theoretically adrift.

By Mac Shine
6 April 2026 | 36 min watch