News / Spectrum

FOXG1 gene therapy; oligodendrocytes; stereotyped movements

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 23 September.

By Jill Adams
24 September 2024 | 2 min read
comments
https://doi.org/10.53053/EFGE5616 https://doi.org/10.53053/EFGE5616 - opens a new tab Cite this article
  • A gene therapy administered after birth reverses disruptions in brain development observed in mice missing the FOXG1 gene. Spectrum previously reported on researchers whose work focuses on their own children’s conditions, as Soo-Kyung Lee has done with FOXG1 syndrome. The Scientist
  • “Our findings highlight that patterns of age-related changes in the brain may be influenced by demographic and phenotypic characteristics, and thus future studies should consider these when examining or controlling for age effects in analyses.” Human Brain Mapping
  • Zebrafish with autism-linked genetic variants show both altered auditory responses—hypersensitivity and delayed habituation—and brain-wide neuronal activity changes, according to a preprint. bioRxiv
Research image displaying functional connectivity in zebrafish forebrains.
Slow learning: Zebrafish missing the autism-linked gene CNTNAP2A (right panel) display lower (light green) functional connectivity in several forebrain areas during an acoustic habituation task than do controls (left panel).
  • Mice missing the autism-linked gene SCN2A in their oligodendrocytes show altered myelination and, in turn, changes in neuronal excitability and synaptic plasticity, according to a preprint. Spectrum has reported on the role of oligodendrocytes in autism. Research Square
  • Infants with two or more of a suite of behavioral differences are more likely to have autism or other developmental conditions at age 3 than are those without these differences. Autism
  • A machine-learning algorithm trained on videos of autistic children’s stereotyped movements can objectively recognize the presence and degree of such motor behaviors. JAMA Network Open

Sign up for the weekly Spectrum newsletter to stay current with the latest advancements in autism research.

Recommended reading

Two surreal heads touch each other’s faces.
Spectrum

The case for redefining ‘theory of mind’: Q&A with François Quesque

By Lauren Schenkman
10 October 2024 | 7 min read
Research image of neuronal firing in cultured cells.
Spectrum

Aggression; Angelman syndrome; NLGN3

By Jill Adams
8 October 2024 | 2 min read
Illustration of hands sewing red and white threads in a DNA-like pattern into a blue-gray fabric.
Spectrum

Untangling biological threads from autism’s phenotypic patchwork reveals four core subtypes

By Holly Barker
3 October 2024 | 5 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Illustration of a mouse with cheese on its left and a drop of water on its right.
Internal state

Should I stay (and eat) or should I go? How the brain balances hunger with competing drives

By Giorgia Guglielmi
11 October 2024 | 8 min read
Still image of Paul Middlebrooks in conversation with Cristina Savin, Tim Vogels, Gaute Einevoll and Mikel Lepperød.
Brain Inspired Microphone

Cristina Savin and Tim Vogels discuss how AI has shaped their neuroscience research

By Paul Middlebrooks
11 October 2024 | 80 min listen
Licorice and red candy against a lavender background.
Sensory systems

Double-duty neurons in primary olfactory cortex pick up on more than just scent

By Angie Voyles Askham
9 October 2024 | 7 min read