X chromosome

Recent articles

Photograph of a cardinal with male-typical red feathers on one side and more drab, female-typical feathers on the other.

What birds can teach us about the ‘biological truth’ of sex

Part of our job as educators is to give students a deeper understanding of the true diversity of sex and gender in the natural world.

By Nicole M. Baran
22 April 2025 | 8 min listen
Abstract illustration of a feminine face in structural flux.

Revisiting sex and gender in the brain

To conduct scientifically accurate and socially responsible research, it is useful to think of “sex” as a complex, multifactorial and context-dependent variable.

By Marija Kundakovic
28 January 2025 | 8 min read
Research image highlighting different brain regions.

X marks the spot in search for autism variants

Genetic variants on the X chromosome, including those in the gene DDX53, contribute to autism’s gender imbalance, two new studies suggest.

By Holly Barker
16 January 2025 | 6 min read
Illustration of men’s and women’s faces.

Males and females show different patterns of risk for brain-based conditions. Ignoring these differences does us all a disservice.

Although studying sex differences in the brain is complex, technically awkward and socioculturally loaded, it is absolutely essential.

By Armin Raznahan
9 December 2024 | 9 min listen
Illustration of X and Y chromosomes against a psychedelic, checkered pattern.

Accounting for a mosaic of sex differences: Q&A with Nicola Grissom

Breaking the binary view of sex traits can enable researchers to represent the broader complexity of behavior and cognition.

By Olivia Gieger
10 July 2024 | 7 min read
Two teenage girls sit next to each other on a couch, one looking at a cell phone while the other uses a tablet computer.

Turner syndrome tied to autism

Most people with the X-linked syndrome have autism traits, and about one-quarter meet diagnostic criteria for the condition.

By Emmet Fraizer
5 January 2023 | 4 min read

Silenced X chromosome genes reawaken in new mouse model

The new animal line could accelerate the discovery of gene-activating therapies for the autism-linked condition Rett syndrome.

By Holly Barker
3 March 2022 | 4 min read
Dr. Huda Zoghbi portrait

Huda Zoghbi: Taking genetic inquiry to the next level

Over the course of a career spanning more than three decades, Huda Zoghbi has won almost every major biology and neuroscience research award that exists. More than 20 years since she discovered the gene behind Rett syndrome, she remains laser focused on unlocking the condition’s secrets and finding effective treatments.

By Rachel Zamzow
25 June 2021 | 13 min read
lab technician pipetting in dramatic light

Alternative gene-therapy approaches take aim at Rett syndrome

Methods that selectively increase levels of the Rett protein make for safer and more effective treatment strategies, some researchers say.

By Angie Voyles Askham
16 June 2021 | 7 min read
Brain images color-coded to show structural changes in autism.

Gene expression maps reveal origins of brain changes from autism mutations

A new study pinpoints the genes and cell types that may underlie the atypical brain structure seen in people with genetic conditions linked to autism.

By Angie Voyles Askham
4 December 2020 | 5 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Research image of organoids from autistic people.

Altered visual processing in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome; and more

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 16 June.

By Jill Adams
17 June 2025 | 2 min read
Illustration of a fly in various poses.

This paper changed my life: Bradley Dickerson on how a 1940s fly neuroanatomy paper influences his research to this day

This classic paper by zoologist John Pringle describes the haltere—a small structure in flies that plays a crucial role in flight control. It taught me to think about circuits and behavior as greater than the sum of their parts.

By Bradley Dickerson
17 June 2025 | 5 min listen
Hundred dollar bill digitally cut into small pieces.

NIH cuts quash $323 million for neuroscience research and training

“I am frightened for the state of the future of our field if this isn't reversed rapidly,” says Joshua Gordon, professor of psychiatry at Columbia University and former director of the National Institute of Mental Health.

By Claudia López Lloreda
16 June 2025 | 8 min read