IMFAR 2012

Recent articles

Spectrum from The Transmitter.

Brain trust

Preliminary research shows that in people with autism, oxytocin enhances activity in brain areas that process social information.

By Emily Singer
1 June 2012 | 2 min read
Spectrum from The Transmitter.

In autism, head growth patterns vary by gender

Girls diagnosed with autism have slower brain growth in the first year of their life than typically developing children, whereas boys’ brains grow at the same rate as those of typical children, according to a population-based study in Norway.

By Emily Singer
24 May 2012 | 3 min read
Spectrum from The Transmitter.

New report finds DSM-5 criteria unlikely to exclude many

Contrary to previous studies, preliminary results from field trials of the new criteria for diagnosing autism suggest it will capture people on the high-functioning end of the spectrum.

By Emily Singer
24 May 2012 | 7 min read
Spectrum from The Transmitter.

Early data suggest antibiotic helps treat fragile X syndrome

Preliminary results from a placebo-controlled trial of the antibiotic minocycline in children with fragile X syndrome suggest the drug alleviates some aspects of the disorder, according to research presented Friday at the International Meeting for Autism Research in Toronto.

By Emily Singer
19 May 2012 | 3 min read
Spectrum from The Transmitter.

Why it’s good to share your data

Neuroscience funding has plateaued, so researchers need to squeeze every drop from existing data.

By Emily Singer
18 May 2012 | 2 min read
Spectrum from The Transmitter.

Long-term project charts methylation patterns in pregnancy

By studying pregnant women who already have a child with autism, researchers hope to understand how epigenetic changes — those that affect gene expression but don’t directly alter DNA — during pregnancy influences risk of the disorder.

By Emily Singer
18 May 2012 | 3 min read
Spectrum from The Transmitter.

Giving fathers oxytocin boosts levels in babies

Two new studies on oxytocin, the so-called ‘trust hormone,’ suggest new avenues for using the drug to treat autism.

By Emily Singer
17 May 2012 | 3 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Romain Brette reveals fundamental flaws in commonly assumed neuroscience concepts

His new book, “The Brain, In Theory,” offers alternatives to many of the computer science frameworks currently driving theoretical neuroscience.

By Paul Middlebrooks
8 April 2026 | 131 min listen

Arboreal deer mice reveal neural roots of dexterity

The rodents offered researchers an opportunity to link genetically driven changes in corticospinal abundance and morphology to climbing cachet.

By Siddhant Pusdekar
8 April 2026 | 0 min watch
Research image of mice microglia.

Single-gene systems-level effects, and more

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 6 April.

By Jill Adams
7 April 2026 | 2 min read