IQ

Recent articles

Stock photograph of a women and her young child at a clinician’s office.

A genetics-first clinic for catching developmental conditions early: Q&A with Jacob Vorstman

A new clinic is assessing children who have a genetic predisposition for autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions—sometimes before traits appear.

By Lauren Schenkman
15 August 2024 | 7 min read
Black-and-white research image of brain organoids.

Brain organoid size matches intensity of social problems in autistic people

Overgrown organoids could point to mechanisms underlying profound autism.

By Holly Barker
18 July 2024 | 5 min read
Illustration of DNA methylation.

‘Polygenic risk scores’ for autism, explained

These scores — composite measures of a person’s autism-linked common genetic variants — cannot predict an autism diagnosis but could help researchers better understand the condition’s underlying biology.

By Giorgia Guglielmi
23 May 2023 | 5 min read
Conceptual illustration of a door leading from one area of the brain to another area of the brain.

Autism’s genetic heterogeneity evident in brain connectivity patterns

The results highlight the importance of subgrouping study participants based on their underlying genetics, the researchers say.

By Angie Voyles Askham
27 September 2022 | 5 min read
An abstract "funding mechanism" featuring dollar bills alongside tubes, beakers and wires

New program offers $35K grants to study ‘profound autism’

People who have ‘profound autism’ — those with severe intellectual disability, limited communication abilities or both — tend to be excluded from research. The Autism Science Foundation seeks to change that.

By Peter Hess
18 July 2022 | 5 min read
Child with colorful tactile puzzle and clinician or therapist.

Autism without intellectual impairments more common than previously reported

Almost 60 percent of autistic people may have an average or above-average intelligence quotient, according to a new longitudinal study.

By Jonathan Moens
1 December 2021 | 2 min read
Photograph of a child arranging a row of flowers on the ground.

Repetitive behaviors wax and wane among autistic youth

Some types of restricted and repetitive behaviors become more prevalent among autistic children and teenagers over time, depending on their age and intellectual ability, whereas others decrease.

By Peter Hess
20 September 2021 | 2 min read
Illustration shows yellow landscape with blue sections and a lot of trains on paths with kids on the trains, going different directions.

Mapping the futures of autistic children

Researchers can roughly project what autistic children's lives will look like years down the road. But how good is their crystal ball — and what are its benefits?

By Elizabeth Svoboda
14 July 2021 | 18 min read
researchers analyzing a big change in a DNA helix

Evolutionary approach reveals impact of missense variants in autism

Cross-species comparisons can help make sense of subtle genetic variants in people with autism and identify hundreds of new genes that may contribute to the condition.

By Chloe Williams
7 July 2021 | 5 min read
Child in an MEG machine

Making neuroimaging accessible for more autistic children

A new protocol aims to help researchers include more autistic people — especially those who are minimally verbal or have intellectual disability — in imaging studies.

By Laura Dattaro
6 April 2021 | 8 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

A change at the top of SfN as neuroscientists gather in San Diego

Kevin B. Marvel, longtime head of the American Astronomical Society, will lead the Society for Neuroscience after a year of uncertainty in the neuroscience field.

By Natalia Mesa
16 November 2025 | 6 min read
Two hands hold a paper airplane.

How will neuroscience training need to change in the future?

Training in computational neuroscience, data science and statistics will need to expand, say many of the scientists we surveyed. But that must be balanced with a more traditional grounding in the scientific method and critical thinking. Researchers noted that funding concerns will also affect training, especially for people from underrepresented groups.

By The Transmitter
15 November 2025 | 11 min read
Composite of headshots of neuroscientists who passed away in the past several years.

The leaders we have lost

Learn more about the lives and legacies of the neuroscientists who passed away between 2023 and 2025.

By The Transmitter
15 November 2025 | 4 min read

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