Connectivity theory

Research illustration groups genes by their effects on brain cell types.

Giant analysis reveals how autism-linked genes affect brain cell types

Genes that predispose people to autism account for a large portion of the neuronal and glial cell changes seen in those with the condition.

By Charles Q. Choi
20 June 2024 | 5 min read
Spectrum Microphone

Autism-linked mutation disrupts brain circuit to change social behavior

Therapies that target the circuit could boost social activity, new findings suggest.

By Charles Q. Choi
24 June 2022 | 4 min read

Synaptic overgrowth, hyperconnectivity may define autism subtype

Model mice of the subtype also show hyperactivity in a signaling pathway called mTOR, bolstering the idea that distinct forms of autism have different biological roots and may require different treatment approaches.

By Angie Voyles Askham
18 November 2021 | 4 min read
Black CDKL5 mice in a lab setting--three mice in a cage.

Brain stimulation improves memory in autism mouse models

Jolting a bundle of nerve fibers deep in the brain restores learning and memory in mice with mutations of the autism-linked gene CDKL5.

By Charles Q. Choi
15 October 2021 | 3 min read
Colorful image of a composite of multiple brain scans showing communication patterns in different regions.

Autism mouse models cluster by brain activity pattern

Four subtypes lend new support to the idea that there isn’t a single ‘hallmark’ type of brain connectivity in people with autism.

By Niko McCarty
10 September 2021 | 5 min read
Neurons in red and green

‘Neurons on a chip’ reveal patterns across autism-linked conditions

Activity patterns of neuronal networks link different genetic subtypes of autism that have similar traits, according to new unpublished research.

By Angie Voyles Askham
7 May 2021 | 3 min read
Brain diagrams showing connectivity within different regions.

Gene mutations point to overlaps in brain connectivity for autism, schizophrenia

People who have large mutations associated with autism and schizophrenia share atypical patterns of brain connectivity, according to a new study, especially between areas that process sensory information.

By Angie Voyles Askham
30 November 2020 | 4 min read

Slow, disorderly brain waves may flag autism in toddlers

Certain patterns of electrical activity in the brain may signal autism in children with tuberous sclerosis complex, a related genetic condition.

By Emily Anthes
23 September 2019 | 4 min read
Mouse neurons in a grid show differences

Autism mutation may disrupt brain structure by disabling mitochondria

Mice that lack a segment of chromosome 22 — a mutation associated with autism — have unusually sparse connections between brain regions.

By Emily Anthes
13 June 2019 | 4 min read
Illustration of cerebellum in human brain

Communication in brain shows sex difference in autism

Autistic women show unusually strong connections, and autistic men unusually weak ones, between two brain regions.

By Jessica Wright
3 June 2019 | 3 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