SFN 2018

Recent articles

A single ecstasy pill on a blue background.

Distinct brain pathway underlies ecstasy’s social effects

The drug popularly known as ecstasy may boost sociability through brain circuits distinct from that underlying its 'high.'

By Nicholette Zeliadt
11 December 2019 | 3 min read

Brain organoids show realistic neuronal firing rhythms

Brain organoids made from typical human stem cells begin to show synchronized neuronal firing patterns after growing in a dish for at least four months.

By Hannah Furfaro
29 August 2019 | 3 min read

Invisible man? Move over for invisible mouse

A combination of chemical cocktails has created mice that are — yes — virtually invisible. And new imaging technology reveals the mice's underlying nerves and lymphatic system in unprecedented detail.

By Rachel Zamzow
11 January 2019 | 4 min read
View of San Diego in twilight.

Takeaways from SfN 2018

After the presentation of more than 14,000 abstracts over five days, the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in San Diego ended last week.

By Claire Cameron
12 November 2018 | 4 min read
Marmoset in a clear cage in a lab.

Monkey motion-capture reveals social behavior in 3-D

A monkey-sized jacket embedded with motion sensors — similar to technology used to animate creatures in movies — is helping researchers develop the common marmoset as a model for studying human social behavior.

By Sarah DeWeerdt
8 November 2018 | 6 min read
Two hands hold two pills, one red and one blue.

Drug duo delivers brain, behavioral benefits for fragile X syndrome

Administering a cholesterol drug alongside an antibiotic eases atypical behavior and restores the signaling balance in the brains of people with fragile X syndrome.

By Rachel Zamzow
8 November 2018 | 3 min read
white mouse in a man's hands, closeup.

Mouse, human ‘co-clinical’ trials could speed autism drug discovery

A team of researchers is trialing a fast approach to autism drug development: simultaneously testing candidates in people and in mice.

By Hannah Furfaro
8 November 2018 | 3 min read
Delicate network of neurons and synapses.

Webbing around neurons altered in autism mouse models

Lattice-like structures that surround neurons may be overly abundant — or scarce — in brain regions of three autism mouse models.

By Sarah DeWeerdt
8 November 2018 | 3 min read
Infant in fnirs cap, wrapped in blankets.

Study tracks social brain development in African infants

An inexpensive, noninvasive method can track social brain development in infants in low-resource countries.

By Sarah DeWeerdt
7 November 2018 | 3 min read

Gene expression ‘barcode’ maps cells in brain tissue

A new technique transforms the previous broad-brush picture of a brain region into a pointillist masterpiece of neuronal subpopulations associated with specific activities.

By Sarah DeWeerdt
7 November 2018 | 3 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Leafcutter ants carrying leaves.

Neuropeptides reprogram social roles in leafcutter ants

The mechanisms that control the labor roles of ants may also be conserved in naked mole rats, a new study shows.

By Shaena Montanari
11 July 2025 | 7 min listen
Illustration of overlapping, multi-colored human head silhouettes.

Perspectives from the field: Opinions in autism research

This collection of Spectrum articles from the past 12 months highlights expert perspectives on autism’s heritability and its link to biological sex, the value of transdiagnostic frameworks, and the field’s future, among other topics.

By Daisy Yuhas
10 July 2025 | 3 min read
Research image from a retracted paper.

Nature retracts paper on novel brain cell type against authors’ wishes

A 2022 paper was retracted after an independent team of researchers reanalyzed the data and questioned its validity.

By Shaena Montanari
9 July 2025 | 4 min listen