Spotted around the web: Week of 14 October 2019

This article is more than five years old.

Neuroscience—and science in general—is constantly evolving, so older articles may contain information or theories that have been reevaluated since their original publication date.

Research roundup

Autism prevalence across Norway varies, probably because of underdiagnosis in some counties. Journal of the Norwegian Medical Association
Children who experience febrile seizures before age 5 have elevated odds of receiving epilepsy and psychiatric diagnoses when they’re older. JAMA Pediatrics
The brain’s capacity to adapt to change underpins much of the individual variability seen in neuroscience research. Neuron
Genetic researchers need to include more racial and ethnic diversity in databases. Cell
Scientists have fully sequenced more than 300 genomes to increase the diversity of the human reference genome. American Society of Human Genetics Annual Meeting
Study authors and peer reviewers should beware of 10 common statistical mistakes. eLife
Family members reported less satisfaction than healthcare providers on a survey about diagnostic and therapeutic services for autistic children in Europe. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Regions of the brain that go haywire during a seizure respond normally to stimuli at other times. Science Translational Medicine

Science and society

A Philadelphia jury determined that the drug maker Johnson & Johnson should pay $8 billion to a man for side effects from Risperdal, a drug often used to treat irritability in people with autism. The Wall Street Journal
Only 35 percent of pregnant women in the United States get vaccinated against pertussis and influenza. STAT
Experimental drugs customized for individuals are ethically fraught because no one knows the risk-benefit profile. Science
Social-media posts promote using blue Halloween buckets for autistic trick-or-treaters, but the practice is neither official nor widespread. WKYC
An autistic mother intertwines her own experience with research in an essay on pregnancy, motherhood and late diagnoses in women. The New York Times
Women are underrepresented as both applicants and winners of the U.S. National Institutes of Health’s “high-risk, high-reward” grants. Science
Common drug tests do not differentiate between THC from marijuana and non-THC-containing cannabidiol. The New York Times
Temple Grandin describes how workplaces can benefit from hiring autistic workers. Reuters
Consumer goods company Proctor & Gamble has made good on its initiative to hire more autistic workers: It now has four autistic managers. Cincinnati Business Courier

Autism and the arts

Autistic artist Karissa Narukami, who has topographic memory, has been offered a scholarship to a Vancouver, Canada, art school. ABS-CBN News
A new medical facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, called Aurtism plans to provide art therapy to autistic people. Fox5
Autistic artist Samantha Kaspar will have silk paintings of flora and fauna native to the Philippines on display at a Manila gallery. Philippine Daily Inquirer