Postmortem brains
‘SNAP’ dance of astrocytes and neurons falls out of step with age, disease
The findings add to growing evidence that astrocytes are star players in cognition.
‘SNAP’ dance of astrocytes and neurons falls out of step with age, disease
Cortical interneurons derive differently in human brains
Excitatory neurons and some inhibitory neurons in the adult human cortex share parents, challenging the longstanding idea that the two cell types have different origins.
Cortical interneurons derive differently in human brains
Vast diversity of human brain cell types revealed in trove of new datasets
The collection offers a glimpse into differences in cell composition — across people and brain regions — that may shape neural function.
Vast diversity of human brain cell types revealed in trove of new datasets
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.
Head size parts autism into two major subtypes
Preprint questions validity of postmortem brain studies
But the alternatives, including living-brain biopsies, raise logistical and ethical questions, experts say.
Preprint questions validity of postmortem brain studies
Atlas of gene activity in prenatal brain holds clues to autism
Genes exert their strongest influence on the brain in the first half of gestation — a key window for autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions.
Atlas of gene activity in prenatal brain holds clues to autism
Immunity-linked genes expressed differently in brains of autistic people
Postmortem brain samples from people with one of six conditions, including autism, show distinct signatures of over- and underexpression of immune genes.
Immunity-linked genes expressed differently in brains of autistic people
Highly expressed genes may buffer against autism-linked mutations in girls
Such high expression levels may account for the condition’s sex bias, a new preprint suggests — but not everyone agrees with that logic.
Highly expressed genes may buffer against autism-linked mutations in girls
Autism’s sex bias tied to glial, immune cell gene expression
The function of microglia and astrocytes in the brain may mediate the intersection of sex-differential biology and autism biology.
Autism’s sex bias tied to glial, immune cell gene expression
Consistent, convergent pathways link two forms of autism
People with dup15q syndrome and those with idiopathic autism have similar patterns of altered gene expression in early brain development and later in life.
Consistent, convergent pathways link two forms of autism
Explore more from The Transmitter
Some minimally verbal autistic people show signs of written-language familiarity, study suggests
But researchers not involved in the work worry the findings could be used to support discredited facilitated-communication techniques.
Some minimally verbal autistic people show signs of written-language familiarity, study suggests
But researchers not involved in the work worry the findings could be used to support discredited facilitated-communication techniques.
Cocaine, morphine commandeer neurons normally activated by food, water in mice
Confirming a long-held hypothesis, repeated exposure to the drugs alters neurons in the nucleus accumbens, the brain’s reward center, and curbs an animal’s urge for sustenance.
Cocaine, morphine commandeer neurons normally activated by food, water in mice
Confirming a long-held hypothesis, repeated exposure to the drugs alters neurons in the nucleus accumbens, the brain’s reward center, and curbs an animal’s urge for sustenance.
X chromosome inactivation; motor difficulties in 16p11.2 duplication and deletion; oligodendroglia
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 6 May.
X chromosome inactivation; motor difficulties in 16p11.2 duplication and deletion; oligodendroglia
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 6 May.