Outlook: Autism
Recent articles
Culture: Diverse diagnostics
The study of autism around the globe must account for a variety of behavioural norms in different societies.

Culture: Diverse diagnostics
The study of autism around the globe must account for a variety of behavioural norms in different societies.
Perspective: Imaging autism
Several studies in the past two years have claimed that brain scans can diagnose autism, but this assertion is deeply flawed, says Nicholas Lange.

Perspective: Imaging autism
Several studies in the past two years have claimed that brain scans can diagnose autism, but this assertion is deeply flawed, says Nicholas Lange.
Epidemiology: Complex disorder
Researchers are digging into the myriad causes of autism to refine its definition and find elusive biological signatures.

Epidemiology: Complex disorder
Researchers are digging into the myriad causes of autism to refine its definition and find elusive biological signatures.
Perspective: Brain scans need a rethink
Head movement can bias brain imaging results, undermining a leading theory on the cause of autism, say Ben Deen and Kevin Pelphrey.

Perspective: Brain scans need a rethink
Head movement can bias brain imaging results, undermining a leading theory on the cause of autism, say Ben Deen and Kevin Pelphrey.
Treatments: In the waiting room
After years of making do with drugs developed for other conditions, doctors and scientists are eagerly pursuing drugs that target the social symptoms of autism.

Treatments: In the waiting room
After years of making do with drugs developed for other conditions, doctors and scientists are eagerly pursuing drugs that target the social symptoms of autism.
Diagnosis: Redefining autism
Draft diagnostic guidelines are raising concerns that mild forms of the disorder may no longer be recognized.

Diagnosis: Redefining autism
Draft diagnostic guidelines are raising concerns that mild forms of the disorder may no longer be recognized.
Adulthood: Life lessons
We know little about autism past adolescence, but a well-studied generation of children with autism will change that.

Adulthood: Life lessons
We know little about autism past adolescence, but a well-studied generation of children with autism will change that.
Child development: The first steps
Because infants born into families with autism are more likely to develop the condition, studying them might lead to ways to diagnose people in the general population earlier.

Child development: The first steps
Because infants born into families with autism are more likely to develop the condition, studying them might lead to ways to diagnose people in the general population earlier.
Genetics: Searching for answers
Solving the riddle of autism genetics will require looking beyond the growing list of candidate genes to epigenetics and personalized medicine.

Genetics: Searching for answers
Solving the riddle of autism genetics will require looking beyond the growing list of candidate genes to epigenetics and personalized medicine.
Explore more from The Transmitter
Molecular changes after MECP2 loss may drive Rett syndrome traits
Knocking out the gene in adult mice triggered up- and down-regulated expression of myriad genes weeks before there were changes in neuronal function.

Molecular changes after MECP2 loss may drive Rett syndrome traits
Knocking out the gene in adult mice triggered up- and down-regulated expression of myriad genes weeks before there were changes in neuronal function.
Learning scientific rigor: Q&A with Konrad Kording and Hao Ye
The developers of a new open-access curriculum to teach rigor discuss confirmation bias and other common errors in scientific thinking, plus ways to avoid these missteps.

Learning scientific rigor: Q&A with Konrad Kording and Hao Ye
The developers of a new open-access curriculum to teach rigor discuss confirmation bias and other common errors in scientific thinking, plus ways to avoid these missteps.
This paper changed my life: Stephanie Palmer on the ties between human speech and birdsong—and her ‘informal life coach’
A groundbreaking review by Allison Doupe, who was Palmer’s mentor, and Patricia Kuhl helped shape the field’s understanding of the neural and evolutionary dynamics of speech.

This paper changed my life: Stephanie Palmer on the ties between human speech and birdsong—and her ‘informal life coach’
A groundbreaking review by Allison Doupe, who was Palmer’s mentor, and Patricia Kuhl helped shape the field’s understanding of the neural and evolutionary dynamics of speech.