Autism in Kenya, organoid research: In this week’s roundup, check out several papers on autism-linked genes, including PTEN, MECP2 and SYNGAP1. The list also includes a new paper documenting the prevalence of neurodevelopmental conditions in Kenya, co-authored by Amina Abubakar, who was featured in a Transmitter profile earlier this year.
More autism research we spotted:
- “PTEN variant and genetic backgrounds combine to modify cerebellar neuronal differentiation in autism spectrum disorder” Human Molecular Genetics
See also: “Genetic background steers PTEN syndrome traits” - “MECP2 regulates telencephalic development in human cerebral organoids” Cell Reports
Altered growth: Neurons in cerebral organoids containing a MECP2 variant (right panel) have smaller cell bodies and fewer branches than those in wildtype organoids (left panel). - “SYNGAP1 and the development of murine neocortical progenitor cells” Nature Communications
See also: “SYNGAP1 findings illuminate links between mutations, intellectual disability” - “Burden of neurodevelopmental disorders in Kenyan children” JAMA Network Open
See also: “Amina Abubakar translates autism research and care for Kenya” - “Mapping the genetic landscape across 14 psychiatric disorders” Nature
- “Relative contribution of gonads and sex chromosomes to sex differences in cell-type gene expression in the mouse medial septum and sex-biased disease risk” bioRxiv
- “WHO expert group’s new analysis reaffirms there is no link between vaccines and autism” World Health Organization
- “Child’s sudden death unnerves a promising area of gene therapy research” STAT
- “The active monitoring of oxytocin research evidence (AMORE) platform” Psychoneuroendocrinology
