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

Meet the Autism Data Science Initiative grantees

The awarded projects plan to study gene-and-environment interactions in people, stem cells and organoids, as well as predictors of positive life outcomes in autistic youth and adults.

By Calli McMurray
3 October 2025 | 2 min read
Stack of papers.

Exclusive: The 23 studies the FDA based its expanded leucovorin label on

The studies include 46 people, mostly toddlers, who have cerebral folate deficiency due to variants in a folate transporter.

By Claudia López Lloreda
2 October 2025 | 6 min read
Hand holding a rubber stamp above a stack of papers.

Autism researchers ‘pleasantly surprised’ by list of NIH data project grantees, despite initial concerns

An atypical funding mechanism, truncated application timeline and opaque review process had generated concern over the quality of projects that would be selected for the Autism Data Science Initiative.

By Calli McMurray
2 October 2025 | 10 min read

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