Lauren Gravitz is a freelance writer and editor in Hershey, Pennsylvania, who covers health, medicine, science and the environment. Her stories have appeared in Nature, Aeon, The Economist, Technology Review, O, The Oprah Magazine and Discover, among others.
Lauren Gravitz
Freelance Writer
SFARI.org
From this contributor
At the intersection of autism and trauma
Autism and post-traumatic stress disorder share many traits, but the connection between them was largely overlooked until now.
Autism’s drug problem
Many people on the spectrum take multiple medications — which can lead to serious side effects and may not even be effective.
Lack of DNA modification creates hotspots for mutations
The absence of a chemical alteration called methylation on some stretches of DNA makes them especially prone to mutations, according to a paper published in PLoS Genetics in May.
Lack of DNA modification creates hotspots for mutations
By
Lauren Gravitz
28 June 2012 | 4 min read
Explore more from The Transmitter
To persist, memories surf molecular waves from thalamus to cortex
During the later stages of learning, the mouse brain progressively activates transcriptional regulators that drive memory consolidation.
To persist, memories surf molecular waves from thalamus to cortex
During the later stages of learning, the mouse brain progressively activates transcriptional regulators that drive memory consolidation.
By
Claudia López Lloreda
26 November 2025 | 4 min read
Sex hormone boosts female rats’ sensitivity to unexpected rewards
During the high-estradiol stages of their estrus cycle, female rats learn faster than they do during other stages—and than male rats overall—thanks to a boost in their dopaminergic response to reward, a new study suggests.
Sex hormone boosts female rats’ sensitivity to unexpected rewards
During the high-estradiol stages of their estrus cycle, female rats learn faster than they do during other stages—and than male rats overall—thanks to a boost in their dopaminergic response to reward, a new study suggests.
By
Angie Voyles Askham
26 November 2025 | 5 min read
SHANK3 deficiency and behavior in mice; and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 24 November.
SHANK3 deficiency and behavior in mice; and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 24 November.
By
Jill Adams
25 November 2025 | 2 min read