Spectrum

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.

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Upcoming event
JULY
28
2024
Lucca, Italy
Neural Development Gordon Research Conference
28 July - 2 August
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There is an alteration in excitation and inhibition, not just because of the number of cells but because of the synapses themselves. — VERÓNICA MARTÍNEZ-CERDEÑO

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What we are reading
“Differently different?: A commentary on the emerging social cognitive neuroscience of female autism”
By GINA RIPPON IN BIOLOGY OF SEX DIFFERENCES
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Spectrum

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.

By Linda Nordling
6 June 2024 | 11 min read
Research video of a zebrafish larva (zoomed in on the gut) being given glucose.
Spectrum

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.

By Sarah DeWeerdt
13 April 2023 | 20 min read
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Spectrum books

Chronicle of a Field Retold: Autism Science in Profile

2022
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Autism by the Numbers: Explaining its Apparent Rise

2021
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Spectrum’s guide to autism 2020

2020
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Illustration of an open journal featuring lines of text and small illustrations of eyes and mouths.

Bumetanide; sex-biased gene expression; racial and ethnic disparities

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 15 July.

By Jill Adams
16 July 2024 | 1 min read
Illustration of an adult holding two pieces of paper with different shapes on them in front of a child.

Autism interventions tailored for Black Americans; gene therapy for Rett syndrome; KATNAL2 gene

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 8 July.

By Jill Adams
9 July 2024 | 2 min read
A research image of X chromosomes with Fragile X syndrome

Understanding fragile X syndrome

Just in time for Fragile X Awareness Month, The Transmitter rounds up notable coverage.

By Daisy Yuhas
4 July 2024 | 2 min read
Research image showing the number of unique SHANK3 transcripts in mice.

FOXP1 gene; dose effect of neurodevelopmental conditions; transcriptomics in mouse model of autism

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 1 July.

By Jill Adams
2 July 2024 | 1 min read
Research image of excitatory synapses in the prefrontal cortex.

Synaptic anomalies in autistic people support imbalance hypothesis

Increased excitatory and decreased inhibitory synapses in the prefrontal cortex of autistic people suggest broader impacts on brain function and connectivity.

By Giorgia Guglielmi
27 June 2024 | 4 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

New connectomes fly beyond the brain

Researchers are mapping the neurons in Drosophila’s ventral nerve cord, where the central nervous system meets the rest of the body.

By Laura Dattaro
26 July 2024 | 7 min read

Cerebellar circuit may convert expected pain relief into real thing

The newly identified circuit taps into the brain’s opioid system to provide a top-down form of pain relief.

By Angie Voyles Askham
24 July 2024 | 6 min read
Research image of a variety of brain atlases.

New ‘decoder’ tool translates functional neuroimaging terms across labs

The compendium of brain-parcellation atlases makes it possible to compare large-scale network data, which often involves different and overlapping network names.

By Holly Barker
23 July 2024 | 4 min read