News / Spectrum

Oxytocin during labor; infant brain activity; interleukin-1

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 12 February.

By Jill Adams

13 February 2024 | 1 min read

Oxytocin exposure during birth alters oxytocin signaling and communication in rat pups; in males, it also alters functional connectivity and empathy-like behaviors. iScience
Alpha activity in the brains of 1-year-old children later diagnosed with autism is related to restricted and repetitive behaviors at 2 years old, according to a preprint. Research Square
Mice missing the interleukin-1 receptor show autism-like behaviors and an unusually high number of synapses, suggesting the cytokine mediates microglial pruning of neuronal connections during development. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity

The link between pragmatic language difficulties and repetitive behaviors observed in autistic children also occurs in non-autistic children. Autism Research
A machine-learning strategy can distinguish patterns of neural activity for autistic versus non-autistic adults who are engaging in eye contact with another person. Scientific Reports
Preterm infants display altered functional connectivity that is associated with social and sensory difficulties and repetitive behaviors in an autism screen at 18 months of age. Nature Communications