Anterior cingulate gyrus

A cross-section of the human brain and limbic system
Spectrum Microphone

Amygdala-linked brain areas grow differently in autism

The growth differences vary between autistic boys and girls and are most apparent among children with prominent social difficulties.

By Charles Q. Choi
13 July 2022 | 5 min read
Spectrum Microphone

Reward-system differences may underlie multiple autism features

The brain's system for sensing pleasure and reward shows unusual activation patterns and an atypical structure in people with autism.

By Sarah DeWeerdt
30 July 2018 | 4 min read
Brain bank slice of brain in lab

Banking on brains for clues to autism

New initiatives aim to increase brain donations for autism research and maximize what scientists can learn from these precious specimens.

By Katie Moisse
1 November 2017 | 20 min read

Brain hiccup may explain some social problems in autism

People with autism show an atypical pattern of brain activity when trying to adopt another person’s point of view.

By Rachel Zamzow
20 February 2017 | 4 min read

Neurons move early, mature late in developing monkey brain

Researchers have mapped the migration patterns of neurons in the developing monkey brain and pinpointed when they establish their identities.

By Katie Moisse
19 October 2015 | 3 min read

Brain structure abnormalities predict repetitive behaviors

Among babies who go on to receive a diagnosis of autism at age 2, alterations in brain structures forecast the severity of repetitive behaviors. The preliminary results were presented Saturday at the 2015 International Meeting for Autism Research in Salt Lake City, Utah.    

By Nicholette Zeliadt
19 May 2015 | 3 min read

New clues connect altered patterns of DNA tags to autism

Methyl tags on DNA are distributed differently in postmortem brains from people with autism than in control brains, and mouse pups can inherit altered methylation from their older fathers, report two new studies.

By Kate Yandell
16 September 2014 | 4 min read

Mind-body movement

Children with autism, even those with low intelligence, can improve their self-control by practicing a Chinese mind-body exercise technique, reports a study published 10 July in PLoS One.

By Laura Geggel
16 August 2013 | 4 min read

Imaging reveals more folds, thicker cortex in autism brains

The brains of people with autism are structurally different from those of controls, with more folds and a thicker cortex in certain regions, according to two studies published in the past few months.

By Laura Geggel
13 June 2013 | 5 min read

Molecular mechanisms: Master regulator altered in autism

SP1, a protein that regulates the expression of several autism candidate genes, could increase risk of the disorder by simultaneously altering the expression of a number of the genes, according to a study published 24 October in Biological Psychiatry.

By Jessica Wright
16 December 2011 | 2 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Research image of neurons in the fly’s ventral nerve cord.

New connectomes fly beyond the brain

Researchers are mapping the neurons in Drosophila’s ventral nerve cord, where the central nervous system meets the rest of the body.

By Laura Dattaro
26 July 2024 | 7 min read
Illustration of researchers talking to laypeople amidst strands of DNA.

Building an autism research registry: Q&A with Tony Charman

A purpose-built database of participants who have shared genomic and behavioral data could give clinical trials a boost, Charman says.

By Cathleen O’Grady
25 July 2024 | 8 min read

Cerebellar circuit may convert expected pain relief into real thing

The newly identified circuit taps into the brain’s opioid system to provide a top-down form of pain relief.

By Angie Voyles Askham
24 July 2024 | 6 min read