Altered visual processing in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome; and more

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 16 June.

Visual cues: Sensory neurons in the retina display altered structure and function in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome, according to a new study. Retinal ganglion cells—homologous to primate ganglion cells—received more inhibitory input and were less responsive to light in mice lacking the gene FMR1 compared with the same cells in wildtype mice. These changes in sensory processing caused by the loss of FMR1 in the retina may underlie the altered visual sensitivities observed in people with fragile X syndrome and autism. Journal of Neuroscience

More autism research we spotted:

Research image of organoids from autistic people.
Dual roles: Organoids from autistic people have an altered ratio of proliferative (green) and neurogenic (red) zones compared with controls.
    • “Altered neurobehavioral reward response predicts psychotic-like experiences in youth exposed to cannabis prenatally” Biological Psychiatry
    • “Perinatal serotonin signalling dynamically influences the development of cortical GABAergic circuits with consequences for lifelong sensory encoding” Nature Communications
      See also: “After 60 years, scientists are still trying to crack a mysterious serotonin-autism link
    • “Positive autism screening in children born preterm” Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
    • “Missense ABI2 variants linked to a neurodevelopmental disorder with intellectual disability, epilepsy, hypoplasia of the corpus callosum, and white matter abnormalities” medRxiv
    • “Autism-associated PTCHD1 missense variants bind to the SNARE-associated protein SNAPIN but exhibit impaired subcellular trafficking” Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science
    • “Dissociation of the mTOR protein interaction network following neuronal activation is altered by SHANK3 mutation” bioRxiv
    • “Heterozygosity for neurodevelopmental disorder-associated TRIO variants yields distinct deficits in behavior, neuronal development, and synaptic transmission in mice” eLife

Sign up for the weekly Spectrum newsletter.

Stay current with the latest advancements in autism research.