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Microglia shapes; SCN3A gene; leptin’s role in antipsychotic-induced weight gain

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 4 December.

By Jill Adams

5 December 2023 | 2 min read

Cultured neurons carrying an SCN3A gene variant, a model of SCN3A-related neurodevelopmental disorder, show altered sodium conductance, leading to lower action-potential thresholds and aberrant firing patterns. Brain
Babies born to parents with documented infertility issues have a slightly greater likelihood of having autism, according to an analysis of 1.3 million births in Ontario, Canada. JAMA Network Open
A new resource contains the gamut of microglia shapes — branched, ameboid, rod-like and hypertrophic — in different brain regions, according to a preprint. bioRxiv
High-frequency neurotransmission, or “burst firing,” depends on local axonal translation of proteins near the synapse. Neuron
The PANSS-Autism-Severity-Score screen, used to assess autism traits in people with psychosis, appears to miss those traits in autistic people. Schizophrenia Bulletin
Brain regions mature at different rates in early childhood, according to a comprehensive analysis of neuroimaging data from 2,000 children under age 7. Nature Neuroscience
In mice, the hormone leptin appears to mediate weight gain and insulin resistance that occurs with antipsychotic medication; anti-leptin antibodies ameliorate these effects. Science Translational Medicine
The autism-linked gene KDM5A is essential for establishing hippocampal cell identity, via its role in regulating chromatin. Science Advances

Among girls evaluated for autism, those who are diagnosed tend to be younger and have lower cognitive skills and fewer internalizing or externalizing behaviors. The Clinical Neuropsychologist
The gaze behavior of autistic children viewing a social interaction — i.e., whether they look at people’s eyes or not — appears to correlate with fractional anisotropy values, a biomarker of nerve myelination, in specific brain areas. Cerebral Cortex