Megan Scudellari is a freelance writer based in Durham, North Carolina.
Megan Scudellari
Freelance Writer
SFARI
From this contributor
Brains of toddlers with autism out of sync
Many toddlers with autism have weak connections between the two sides of the brain, according to the first-ever analysis of brain connections in young children with the disorder, published 23 June in Neuron.
Autism candidate gene implicated in social deficits
Mutations in a protein called GRIP1, important for the function of synapses — the junctions between neurons — may contribute to social deficits in autism, researchers reported 22 March in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Autism candidate gene implicated in social deficits
By
Megan Scudellari
28 April 2011 | 4 min read
Explore more from The Transmitter
Oxytocin shapes both mouse mom and pup behavior
Distressed pups emit distinct cries for help, which depend on oxytocin neurons in their hypothalamus.
Oxytocin shapes both mouse mom and pup behavior
Distressed pups emit distinct cries for help, which depend on oxytocin neurons in their hypothalamus.
By
Claudia López Lloreda
11 September 2025 | 5 min read
Sensory gatekeeper drives seizures, autism-like behaviors in mouse model
The new work, in mice missing the autism-linked gene CNTNAP2, suggests a mechanism to help explain the overlap between epilepsy and autism.
Sensory gatekeeper drives seizures, autism-like behaviors in mouse model
The new work, in mice missing the autism-linked gene CNTNAP2, suggests a mechanism to help explain the overlap between epilepsy and autism.
By
Diana Kwon
11 September 2025 | 5 min listen
Michael Breakspear and Mac Shine explain how brain processing changes across neural population scales
Breakspear and Shine find a scale-free property of brain activity that is conserved across diverse species, suggesting that a universal principle of brain activity underlies cognition.
Michael Breakspear and Mac Shine explain how brain processing changes across neural population scales
Breakspear and Shine find a scale-free property of brain activity that is conserved across diverse species, suggesting that a universal principle of brain activity underlies cognition.
By
Paul Middlebrooks
10 September 2025 | 1 min read