News / Spectrum

Brain Gene Registry; neurite density; income disparities in autism diagnoses

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 29 April.

By Jill Adams
30 April 2024 | 2 min read
comments
https://doi.org/10.53053/DLHK4539 https://doi.org/10.53053/DLHK4539 - opens a new tab Cite this article
  • The growth factor BMP2 seems to be a regulatory target for maintaining the balance of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission in the mouse brain. Spectrum has an explainer about the signaling imbalance theory of autism. Nature
Research image of glutaminergic synapses on parvalbumin interneurons.
Missed connections: Mice missing the BMP2 gene (right panels) form fewer glutaminergic synapses onto parvalbumin interneurons than do controls (left panels).
  • Altered transcription spurred by a variety of autism-linked genes often converges on a small number of developmental pathways, according to a preprint about cortical organoids derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells. bioRxiv
  • Gene variants linked to autism are also linked to decreased neurite density in the brain, according to a preprint that used UK BioBank data. medRxiv
  • Low-income families have a higher prevalence of autism diagnoses than do high-income families, according to an analysis by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
  • The U.K. Metropolitan Police are investigating advertisers hawking false claims about stem cell therapy for autism. BBC
  • A new resource called the Brain Gene Registry contains genetic and phenotypic data from people with intellectual and developmental disabilities; its goal is to help researchers better characterize the links between genes and conditions such as autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Speech-processing difficulties in autistic children may be related to altered integration of auditory and visual stimuli, according to a preprint. bioRxiv
  • Alterations in executive function in autistic children appear to contribute to the likelihood of having mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression or aggression. Autism
  • Mental health conditions affect sleep quality in children with fragile X syndrome, which, in turn, affects daily functioning at school. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
  • Different variants of the SCN2A gene, which are linked to autism and epilepsy, confer different effects on sodium channel function, and different clinical profiles. Brain

Sign up for the weekly Spectrum newsletter.

Stay current with the latest advancements in autism research.

Recommended reading

Figure showing sleep archetypes in autistic children.
Spectrum

Rise in autism prevalence; and more

By Jill Adams
22 April 2025 | 2 min read
Research image of grids of mouse and human brain scans.
Spectrum

Too much or too little brain synchrony may underlie autism subtypes

By Calli McMurray
17 April 2025 | 6 min read
Research image of resting-state functional activity in a human brain.
Spectrum

Developmental delay patterns differ with diagnosis; and more

By Jill Adams
15 April 2025 | 2 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Photograph of a cardinal with male-typical red feathers on one side and more drab, female-typical feathers on the other.
Sex

What birds can teach us about the ‘biological truth’ of sex

By Nicole M. Baran
22 April 2025 | 7 min read
Man with EEG sensors on his head.
Human neurotechnology

Noninvasive technologies can map and target human brain with unprecedented precision

By Bruce Rosen
21 April 2025 | 7 min read
Research image of fMRI scans showing decision-making across individuals.
Behavior

During decision-making, brain shows multiple distinct subtypes of activity

By Claudia López Lloreda
18 April 2025 | 5 min read