Genes

Recent articles

A slice of a cerebellum.

Mutation in top autism-linked gene may alter eye reflex

The discovery could help clinicians diagnose children who carry mutations in the gene, called SCN2A, and gauge their responses to potential therapies.

By Charles Q. Choi
26 February 2024 | 5 min read
A research image of a mouse hippocampus

Some social issues in DYRK1A model mice stem from faulty inhibitory circuits

Alterations in inhibitory circuits and difficulties in social recognition characterize mice missing one copy of DYRK1A, a gene linked to autism.

By Giorgia Guglielmi
11 October 2023 | 4 min read
Research image of presynapses on sensory neurons in fruit flies.

UBE3A’s link to synaptic pruning bolstered by fly study

Increasing or reducing the levels of the UBE3A gene, which is associated with autism and autism-related syndromes, results in altered patterns of synaptic pruning — a process that snips away brain cell connections.

By Giorgia Guglielmi
28 September 2023 | 5 min read
Research image of organoids in the forebrain.

Head size parts autism into two major subtypes

An imbalance in the number of excitatory neurons in early brain development may account for the difference.

By Charles Q. Choi
12 September 2023 | 4 min read
Research image of neurons in mice.

Skewed signaling in striatum may spawn repetitive behaviors

Synaptic changes in the brain region could drive a core trait of fragile X syndrome, a new mouse study suggests.

By Holly Barker
6 September 2023 | 3 min read
Photograph of a family of rhesus macaque monkeys.

Father’s genes may drive sociability in male monkeys

The findings in rhesus macaque monkeys may provide clues to sex differences in the heredity of social behavior in people.

By Charles Q. Choi
18 August 2023 | 3 min read
Position heatmaps of mice performing a behavioral assay.

New test taps nose pokes as a proxy for social motivation in mice

Over one hour, a particularly motivated mouse poked its nose 350 times into a hole in the test chamber in the hopes of meeting a playmate.

By Holly Barker
10 August 2023 | 5 min read
Research image of neurons.

Abundant motor proteins disrupt cries in FOXP2 mice

Knocking down the gene that codes for the proteins normalizes the vocalizations.

By Laura Dattaro, Maaisha Osman
28 July 2023 | 3 min read
Research image of interneurons in the outer layer of a human brain.

‘Gain-of-function’ mutation spawns autism traits

The mutation increases the activity of an autism-linked protein and leads to social difficulties and other behavioral differences in mice.

By Giorgia Guglielmi
24 July 2023 | 5 min read
A brown mouse looks away from a white mouse in a cage to its left.

‘VIP’ interneurons may drive autism traits in Dravet syndrome

The inhibitory cells misfire and contribute to social difficulties in mice that model the syndrome.

By Lauren Schenkman
19 July 2023 | 6 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

BCL11A-related intellectual developmental disorder; intervention dosage; gray-matter volume

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 11 November.

By Jill Adams
12 November 2024 | 2 min read
Illustration of a brain overlaid with circles containing flowers and circuit-like networks, among other images.

NeuroAI: A field born from the symbiosis between neuroscience, AI

As the history of this nascent discipline reveals, neuroscience has inspired advances in artificial intelligence, and AI has provided a testing ground for models in neuroscience, accelerating progress in both fields.

By Anthony Zador
11 November 2024 | 6 min read
Illustration of a simple matrix of overlapping circles next to a more complex network of intersecting lines against a muted but colorful background.

What the brain can teach artificial neural networks

The brain offers valuable lessons to artificial neural networks to boost their data and energy efficiency, flexibility and more.

By Anthony Zador
11 November 2024 | 7 min read