Holly Barker is a freelance writer specializing in biology, medicine and psychology. She has a Ph.D. in clinical neuroscience from King’s College London in the United Kingdom and a B.Sc. degree in biochemistry from the University of Manchester. She has previously written for Discover and BioNews. She is based in London.
Holly Barker
Contributing writer
From this contributor
Aging neurons outsource garbage disposal, clog microglia
Degradation-resistant proteins pass from neurons to glial cells in a process that may spread protein clumps around the brain, according to a study in mice.
Aging neurons outsource garbage disposal, clog microglia
By
Holly Barker
10 February 2026 | 5 min read
‘Tour de force’ study flags fount of interneurons in human brain
The newly discovered cell type might point to the origins of the inhibitory imbalance linked to autism and other conditions.
‘Tour de force’ study flags fount of interneurons in human brain
By
Holly Barker
29 January 2026 | 4 min read
Astrocytes stabilize circuits in adult mouse brain
The glial cells secrete a protein that suppresses plasticity post-development.
Astrocytes stabilize circuits in adult mouse brain
By
Holly Barker
6 January 2026 | 5 min read
Among brain changes studied in autism, spotlight shifts to subcortex
The striatum and thalamus are more likely than the cerebral cortex to express autism variants or bear transcriptional changes, two unpublished studies find.
Among brain changes studied in autism, spotlight shifts to subcortex
By
Holly Barker
11 December 2025 | 5 min read
Home makeover helps rats better express themselves: Q&A with Raven Hickson and Peter Kind
The “Habitat”—a complex environment with space for large social groups—expands the behavioral repertoire of rodent models, Hickson and Kind say.
Home makeover helps rats better express themselves: Q&A with Raven Hickson and Peter Kind
By
Holly Barker
4 December 2025 | 0 min watch
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Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 23 February.
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24 February 2026 | 2 min read
Infant visual system categorizes common objects by 2 months of age
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Brain activity patterns in the ventral visual cortex appear to distinguish images across 12 categories, including birds and trees, longitudinal functional MRI scans suggest.
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24 February 2026 | 5 min read