Meng-Chuan Lai is associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Toronto in Canada.
Meng-Chuan Lai
Assistant professor
University of Toronto
From this contributor
Quashing sex bias in autism research calls for participant rainbow
Autism researchers must attend to the need for sex and gender diversity in study design as a rule rather than as an exception.
Quashing sex bias in autism research calls for participant rainbow
By
Meng-Chuan Lai
25 September 2018 | 6 min read
Brains of girls, boys may mark distinct paths to autism
Differences between the brains of men and women with autism may help explain why men are more susceptible to the condition and women appear to be protected from it.
Brains of girls, boys may mark distinct paths to autism
By
Meng-Chuan Lai
19 October 2015 | 7 min read
Mind the gender gap
Autism may be male-biased in prevalence, but our understanding of it should not be, argues Meng-Chuan Lai.
Explore more from The Transmitter
Finding neuroheterogeneity’s sweet spot
Once thought to be detrimental to memory processing, neuronal diversity—at the right ‘Goldilocks’ dose—is a new boon to theoretical neuroscience.
Finding neuroheterogeneity’s sweet spot
Once thought to be detrimental to memory processing, neuronal diversity—at the right ‘Goldilocks’ dose—is a new boon to theoretical neuroscience.
By
Natalia Mesa
20 October 2026 | 7 min read
COVID-19 and influenza effects in pregnancy; and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 19 October.
COVID-19 and influenza effects in pregnancy; and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 19 October.
By
Jill Adams
20 October 2026 | 2 min read
What to do when traditional mechanistic approaches no longer work
Many complex behaviors have stubbornly resisted mechanistic explanations. Deciphering them will require new approaches—and perhaps a new concept of “understanding.”
What to do when traditional mechanistic approaches no longer work
Many complex behaviors have stubbornly resisted mechanistic explanations. Deciphering them will require new approaches—and perhaps a new concept of “understanding.”
By
Bence Ölveczky
19 October 2026 | 8 min read