Autism-linked genes in a Chinese population; measuring sleep; Zika virus

Among 3,122 children in Puerto Rico who were exposed to Zika virus in utero, 3.5 percent have an autism diagnosis. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
Variants of the gene RPH3A, which are linked to autism and epilepsy, appear to increase the number of glutamate receptors at extrasynaptic sites. Genetics in Medicine
Children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome have altered cortical network activity, as measured by magnetoencephalography. Neuropsychopharmacology
Mice missing the TET2 gene curtail their social interactions; replenishing TET2 in the lateral habenula restores sociability. Cell Reports
People who carry variants of the CUL3 gene tend to have intellectual disability, sometimes accompanied by autism traits, according to a preprint. medRxiv
A genetic analysis of autistic people with Chinese ancestry has identified nine new candidate genes for the condition. Biological Psychiatry
Using Neuropixels probes, researchers have mapped neural activity across the brain in mice performing complex tasks, and created a publicly available dataset, according to a preprint. bioRxiv
Variants of genes that code for the major histocompatibility complex and human leukocyte antigens may contribute to autism by way of inflammatory processes in the gut. Translational Psychiatry
Autism researcher Calliope Holingue recently discussed her work on the bidirectional relationship between the gut microbiome and autism traits. NPR
Voice acoustics can distinguish autistic from non-autistic children with 91 percent accuracy. Translational Psychiatry
Sleep diaries kept by caregivers tend to overestimate sleep duration and underestimate nighttime awakenings in children, compared with objective sleep measures; this pattern is similar whether the children have neurodevelopmental conditions or not. Spectrum reported on sleep-monitoring devices in autistic children in June. Sleep Medicine Reviews
Many autism-linked genes date back to the Cambrian period and are highly conserved in vertebrates. Autism Research
Stem cells from people with 16p11.2 deletion syndrome can be induced to grow into functional neurons regardless of the starting cell type or reprogramming factors, according to a preprint. bioRxiv
Epidural analgesia during childbirth is not associated with autism traits in children, according to a prospective observational study. Spectrum covered the controversy surrounding epidurals and autism earlier this year. Journal of Clinical Anesthesia
Preschool-aged children who lived through the COVID-19 pandemic show delays in development — by about four months — unlike children who reached age 5 before the pandemic. JAMA Pediatrics
Variants of the genes CACNA1C and CACNA1D, which code for L-type calcium channels, are linked to neurodevelopmental conditions; variants often involve changes in noncoding regions of the gene. Channels

Binding nook: Variants of human leukocyte antigen, which contains a peptide-binding site for antigen presentation, are linked to autism.
Autistic children have lower performance on episodic and face memory tasks, which is linked to alterations in the brain’s default mode network. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging
The brain dynamics linked to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder traits differ in children with autism and ADHD versus those with only ADHD. eNeuro
Whole-genome sequencing of blood from infants takes longer than commercially available targeted gene panels but returns a higher yield of diagnosis-linked gene variants. Spectrum has reported on efforts to include more genes in neonatal screens. JAMA
The low-cost, open-access journal Aperture Neuro is now on a new platform, according to editor-in-chief Peter Bandettini. Twitter