Prader-Willi syndrome

Recent articles

Oxytocin lessons from autism-linked syndromes: A chat with Christian Schaaf and Ferdinand Althammer

Oxytocin therapies have failed to consistently benefit autistic people, but their effects in people with two autism-linked conditions may yield new insights, experts argue.

By Peter Hess
7 September 2022 | 4 min read

Dispatches from SfN 2021: Mitochondria, Rett therapy and oxytocin

These short reports from Spectrum journalists highlight some of the autism-related findings that caught our attention at the meeting this past week.

By Angie Voyles Askham, Laura Dattaro, Anna Goshua, Peter Hess
11 November 2021 | 9 min read
Colorful, playful illustrated scene of ewborns on a conveyor belt moving past researchers holding a long, long list.

The push to screen newborns for rare autism-linked genetic conditions

As treatments for some autism-linked genetic conditions inch closer to the clinic, researchers are talking more urgently about screening all newborns for such conditions.

By Laura Dattaro
28 July 2021 | 9 min read
Colorful illustration shows two researchers examining messy data.

How to safeguard online data collection against fraud

When autism researcher Clare Harrop tried to recruit survey participants over social media, she received hundreds of fraudulent responses. But there are ways researchers can protect themselves from similar experiences.

By Grace Huckins
30 March 2021 | 7 min read
Mouse brain slices shown in red

Vasopressin relieves social deficits in an autism mouse model

Mice missing a copy of MAGEL2 have trouble discerning between a familiar mouse and an unfamiliar one; treating them with the social hormone vasopressin reverses this deficit.

By Peter Hess
25 January 2021 | 4 min read
Woman with autism hears social noise, but is soothed by the sounds of a lullaby

Brain-body connection may ease autistic people’s social problems

An auditory therapy may improve autistic people's emotional control and help them feel safe enough to engage with the world.

By Stephen Porges
20 August 2019 | 7 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Research image of brain glucose levels in mice.

Food for thought: Neuronal fuel source more flexible than previously recognized

The cells primarily rely on glucose—rather than lactate from astrocytes—to generate energy, according to recent findings in mice.

By Giorgia Guglielmi
7 February 2025 | 6 min read
Abstract illustration of overlapping lines.

Claims of necessity and sufficiency are not well suited for the study of complex systems

The earliest studies on necessary and sufficient neural populations were performed on simple invertebrate circuits. Does this logic still serve us as we tackle more sophisticated outputs?

By Grace Lindsay
7 February 2025 | 6 min read
Research image of a mouse brain slice stained in purple and yellow.

Subthalamic plasticity helps mice squelch innate fear responses

When the animals learn that a perceived threat is not dangerous, long-term activity changes in a part of the subthalamus suppress their instinctive fears.

By Sydney Wyatt
6 February 2025 | 5 min read