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

Research image of a fiber optic implant in a mouse brain.

Bespoke photometry system captures variety of dopamine signals in mice

The tool tracks the excitation of an engineered protein that senses dopamine’s absolute levels, including fast and slow fluctuations in real time, and offers new insights into how the signals change across the brain.

By Sydney Wyatt
21 March 2025 | 5 min read
Cognitive neuroscientist Nick Turk-Browne helps an infant into an fMRI machine.

What infant fMRI is revealing about the developing mind

Cognitive neuroscientists have finally clocked how to perform task-based functional MRI experiments in awake babies—long known for their inability to lie still or take direction. Next, they aim to watch cognition take shape and settle a debate about our earliest memories—with one group publishing a big clue today.

By Calli McMurray
20 March 2025 | 12 min read
A mouse sits on a gloved hand.

Molecular changes after MECP2 loss may drive Rett syndrome traits

Knocking out the gene in adult mice triggered up- and down-regulated expression of myriad genes weeks before there were changes in neuronal function.

By Chloe Williams
20 March 2025 | 5 min read