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Recent articles
Better tools needed to assess clinical trials
The past few years have seen an unprecedented number of clinical trials for experimental drugs to treat autism-related disorders, most notably for fragile X syndrome. But as the trials progress, scientists are calling for better methods to measure the drugs’ effectiveness.

Better tools needed to assess clinical trials
The past few years have seen an unprecedented number of clinical trials for experimental drugs to treat autism-related disorders, most notably for fragile X syndrome. But as the trials progress, scientists are calling for better methods to measure the drugs’ effectiveness.
Trials and tribulations
Clinical trials for fragile X drugs should include a behavioral therapy component, says a parent of a child with the disorder.

Trials and tribulations
Clinical trials for fragile X drugs should include a behavioral therapy component, says a parent of a child with the disorder.
Compensatory mechanisms
Identifying genetic and other factors that protect children at risk of autism from developing the disorder could provide new avenues for treatment.

Compensatory mechanisms
Identifying genetic and other factors that protect children at risk of autism from developing the disorder could provide new avenues for treatment.
Debate over quality of adult-derived stem cells rages on
As the use of induced pluripotent stem cells grows, researchers are searching for ways to make them behave more predictably.

Debate over quality of adult-derived stem cells rages on
As the use of induced pluripotent stem cells grows, researchers are searching for ways to make them behave more predictably.
Complex case
Multiple levels of complexity make it challenging to develop drugs to treat autism.

Complex case
Multiple levels of complexity make it challenging to develop drugs to treat autism.
Fast-forward
In the last three years, autism researchers have gone from sequencing single genes to whole exomes, as highlighted at the Translational Neuroscience Symposium in Switzerland last week.

Fast-forward
In the last three years, autism researchers have gone from sequencing single genes to whole exomes, as highlighted at the Translational Neuroscience Symposium in Switzerland last week.
Explore more from The Transmitter
Null and Noteworthy: Neurons tracking sequences don’t fire in order
Instead, neurons encode the position of sequential items in working memory based on when they fire during ongoing brain wave oscillations—a finding that challenges a long-standing theory.

Null and Noteworthy: Neurons tracking sequences don’t fire in order
Instead, neurons encode the position of sequential items in working memory based on when they fire during ongoing brain wave oscillations—a finding that challenges a long-standing theory.
How to teach this paper: ‘Neurotoxic reactive astrocytes are induced by activated microglia,’ by Liddelow et al. (2017)
Shane Liddelow and his collaborators identified the factors that transform astrocytes from their helpful to harmful form. Their work is a great choice if you want to teach students about glial cell types, cell culture, gene expression or protein measurement.

How to teach this paper: ‘Neurotoxic reactive astrocytes are induced by activated microglia,’ by Liddelow et al. (2017)
Shane Liddelow and his collaborators identified the factors that transform astrocytes from their helpful to harmful form. Their work is a great choice if you want to teach students about glial cell types, cell culture, gene expression or protein measurement.
Astrocytes sense neuromodulators to orchestrate neuronal activity and shape behavior
Astrocytes serve as crucial mediators of neuromodulatory processes previously attributed to direct communication between neurons, four new studies show.

Astrocytes sense neuromodulators to orchestrate neuronal activity and shape behavior
Astrocytes serve as crucial mediators of neuromodulatory processes previously attributed to direct communication between neurons, four new studies show.