SFN 2008

Recent articles

Spectrum from The Transmitter.

Size of infant’s amygdala predicts language ability

A child's language ability correlates with the volume of his or her amygdala ― the small, deep brain region that is strongly associated with emotion processing ― according to an unpublished five-year longitudinal study presented Wednesday afternoon at the Society for Neuroscience meeting.

By Virginia Hughes
21 November 2008 | 4 min read
Spectrum from The Transmitter.

Beyond mirror neurons

High-functioning children with autism may understand another personʼs intention when, for example, that person reaches for a glass of water ― a simple, goal-directed task ― without help from the mirror neuron system, according to research reported Tuesday at the Society for Neuroscience meeting.

By Kelly Rae Chi
20 November 2008 | 2 min read
Spectrum from The Transmitter.

Finding the right (synaptic) partners

Researchers are narrowing in on a pool of genes that may be involved in helping neurons find their targets, according to unpublished work presented today in a poster session at the Society for Neuroscience meeting.

By Kelly Rae Chi
19 November 2008 | 2 min read
Spectrum from The Transmitter.

A drug that lasts for days

A new slow-release form of the drug risperidone ― an antipsychotic given to people with schizophrenia, autism and other psychiatric conditions ― lasts in the blood days instead of hours, according to research presented today at the Society for Neuroscience meeting.

By Kelly Rae Chi
19 November 2008 | 2 min read
Spectrum from The Transmitter.

microRNAs in mental illness

Some small fragments of RNA, called microRNAs, are under-expressed in people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder compared with controls, according to unpublished research based on postmortem brain tissue presented this morning at the Society for Neuroscience meeting.

By Virginia Hughes
19 November 2008 | 3 min read
Spectrum from The Transmitter.

Pathways to plasticity

The molecular mechanisms underlying synaptic plasticity ― the ability of neurons to change the strength of their connections ― can vary across different inhibitory neural circuits as much as they can vary across excitatory neural circuits, according to research presented this morning at the Society for Neuroscience meeting.

By Kelly Rae Chi
18 November 2008 | 2 min read
Spectrum from The Transmitter.

Lithium’s effect on fragile X mice

Lithium treatment reverses some of the behavioral and brain-cell abnormalities in mouse models of fragile X syndrome ― an inherited form of mental retardation that includes learning deficits, aggressiveness, and social withdrawal ― according to research presented today at the Society for Neuroscience meeting.

By Virginia Hughes
18 November 2008 | 2 min read
Spectrum from The Transmitter.

Creating stem cells to study autism

A team of scientists is reprogramming adult stem cells generated from tiny skin samples of people with autism to form nerve cells, creating a powerful research tool for the disorder.

By Virginia Hughes
18 November 2008 | 2 min read
Spectrum from The Transmitter.

Clinical trial planned for Rett syndrome treatment

Treatment with the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) greatly improves the health of mouse models of Rett syndrome ― a regressive genetic disorder that causes mental retardation, respiratory problems, and autistic features ― according to unpublished researched presented Monday at the Society for Neuroscience conference in Washington, D.C.

By Virginia Hughes
18 November 2008 | 3 min read
Spectrum from The Transmitter.

Altering epigenetic changes

Targeting epigenetic mechanisms may offer potential new therapies for people with developmental disorders including autism, researchers said today at the Society for Neuroscience meeting.

By Kelly Rae Chi
17 November 2008 | 2 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Research image of developing axons in the fly brain.

How developing neurons simplify their search for a synaptic mate

Streamlining the problem from 3D to 1D eases the expedition—a strategy the study investigators deployed to rewire an olfactory circuit in flies.

By Calli McMurray
6 June 2025 | 6 min read
Distorted floppy discs.

NIH autism database announcement raises concerns among researchers

The U.S. National Institutes of Health announced a plan to pour $50 million into data science projects intended to investigate the condition’s causes, but the initiative’s short timeline and other atypicalities have prompted questions.

By Angie Voyles Askham
5 June 2025 | 5 min read
Image of alpha-synuclein filaments in the brain.

Large study links autism to Parkinson’s disease

Autistic adults appear to be prone to an early-onset form of Parkinson’s, according to a long-term study that tracked 2.2 million people in Sweden.

By Charles Q. Choi
5 June 2025 | 4 min read