Spectrum
Recent articles
Spectrum is the go-to destination for the latest news and analysis about autism research and a springboard for scientists and clinicians to forge collaborations that deepen our understanding of autism.

Molecular changes after MECP2 loss may drive Rett syndrome traits

Restoring excitation-inhibition balance in a mouse model of autism; and more

Sequencing study spotlights tight web of genes tied to autism
Action potentials

”It’s just a loss to science, and it’s happening to so many terrific people. — LAURA ANTHONY, PROFESSOR OF PSYCHIATRY, UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO ANSCHUTZ MEDICAL CAMPUS

To accelerate the study of neurodevelopment, we need a transdiagnostic framework

Roundup: The false association between vaccines and autism

My hope for displaced Ukrainian children with autism, an update

The case for redefining ‘theory of mind’: Q&A with François Quesque

Christine Wu Nordahl, doing whatever it takes to get good data


The perils of parachute research
Scientists who study autism in lower-income countries are working to end practices that exploit or ignore collaborators and communities on the ground.

On the periphery: Thinking ‘outside the brain’ offers new ideas about autism
Neuronal alterations outside the brain may help to explain a host of the condition’s characteristic traits, including sensory changes, gut problems and motor differences.

Autism prevalence increasing in children, adults, according to electronic medical records

High prevalence of developmental delay strains Australia’s support systems

Brian Boyd, classroom-based interventions and the importance of representation

Evdokia Anagnostou and the concept of a good life

‘Emergent and transactional’: How Jonathan Green is rethinking autism and interventions

A genetics-first clinic for catching developmental conditions early: Q&A with Jacob Vorstman

Pinning down ‘profound autism’ for reliable research: Q&A with Matthew Siegel

Magnetic stimulation for autism: Q&A with Xujun Duan

Beyond the bench: At school with Verónica Martínez Cerdeño

Beyond the bench: Finding solitude with Jill Silverman

Beyond the bench: Finding balance with Gavin Rumbaugh

Decisional capacity and informed consent, explained

The link between maternal infection and autism, explained

Pathological demand avoidance in autism, explained

The connection between oxytocin and autism, explained
Spectrum books
Targeting NMDA receptor subunit reverses fragile X traits in mice
The subunit acts as a “volume control” on signaling that shapes the density of dendritic spines, the new work suggests.

Targeting NMDA receptor subunit reverses fragile X traits in mice
The subunit acts as a “volume control” on signaling that shapes the density of dendritic spines, the new work suggests.
Maternal infection’s link to autism may be a mirage
Family-linked factors explain most associations between maternal illness and autism, a study of 1.1 million Danish children finds.

Maternal infection’s link to autism may be a mirage
Family-linked factors explain most associations between maternal illness and autism, a study of 1.1 million Danish children finds.
Vocal language development in genetically different twins; gaze behavior in face-to-face conversation
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 3 March.

Vocal language development in genetically different twins; gaze behavior in face-to-face conversation
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 3 March.
Structure of striatum varies by sex in autistic children
The changes could reflect different developmental trajectories between boys and girls with autism, a new study suggests.

Structure of striatum varies by sex in autistic children
The changes could reflect different developmental trajectories between boys and girls with autism, a new study suggests.
Attention and IQ link; AUTS2-related syndrome; Glyx-13 for fragile X
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 24 February.

Attention and IQ link; AUTS2-related syndrome; Glyx-13 for fragile X
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 24 February.
Explore more from The Transmitter
Bespoke photometry system captures variety of dopamine signals in mice
The tool tracks the excitation of an engineered protein that senses dopamine’s absolute levels, including fast and slow fluctuations in real time, and offers new insights into how the signals change across the brain.

Bespoke photometry system captures variety of dopamine signals in mice
The tool tracks the excitation of an engineered protein that senses dopamine’s absolute levels, including fast and slow fluctuations in real time, and offers new insights into how the signals change across the brain.
What infant fMRI is revealing about the developing mind
Cognitive neuroscientists have finally clocked how to perform task-based functional MRI experiments in awake babies—long known for their inability to lie still or take direction. Next, they aim to watch cognition take shape and settle a debate about our earliest memories—with one group publishing a big clue today.

What infant fMRI is revealing about the developing mind
Cognitive neuroscientists have finally clocked how to perform task-based functional MRI experiments in awake babies—long known for their inability to lie still or take direction. Next, they aim to watch cognition take shape and settle a debate about our earliest memories—with one group publishing a big clue today.
Learning scientific rigor: Q&A with Konrad Kording and Hao Ye
The developers of a new open-access curriculum to teach rigor discuss confirmation bias and other common errors in scientific thinking, plus ways to avoid these missteps.

Learning scientific rigor: Q&A with Konrad Kording and Hao Ye
The developers of a new open-access curriculum to teach rigor discuss confirmation bias and other common errors in scientific thinking, plus ways to avoid these missteps.