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UBLCP1 gene; motor skills; brainstem nuclei

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 5 February.

By Jill Adams

6 February 2024 | 2 min read

https://doi.org/10.53053/GWFC2845

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Domestic chicks could serve as an animal model of autism because early-life experiences and imprinting influence their development, three scientists argue. Spectrum has previously reported on a range of unusual animal models. Frontiers in Neuroscience
The Kennedy Krieger Institute has changed its name to the Center for Autism Services, Science and Innovation to better reflect its multifaceted approach to improving autism research and care. KennedyKrieger.org
A variant of the gene UBLCP1 in a Lebanese family with autism disrupts proteosome activity in cells. Translational Psychiatry

Research image of gene expression in neurons, astrocytes and microglia. — **Central command:** The gene UBLCP1, which regulates proteasome activity, is expressed in the nucleolus of neurons (red, left panel), astrocytes (middle) and microglia (right).

Autistic children tend to have poor pattern-separation memory — the ability to distinguish among unique items with shared characteristics — though some overgeneralize and others undergeneralize. Autism
Autistic and non-autistic children share similar levels of the neurometabolites glutathione and gamma-aminobutyric acid in multiple brain regions. Autism Research
Adolescents with autism show delays in processing illusory contours, such as negative space shapes, which may contribute to visual perception, according to a preprint. bioRxiv
Variants in the SP9 gene can cause either a loss or gain of function, which may explain why mutations in the gene can lead to a broad range of conditions, such as encephalopathy and autism. Genetics in Medicine
Altered microstructure of some brainstem nuclei — namely, the parvicellular reticular formation-alpha and the lateral parabrachial nucleus — has been linked to social-communication difficulties and repetitive behaviors, respectively. Autism Research
Females rhesus monkeys display a range of sociality; but unlike in males, social behaviors appear to be linked to social rank rather than co-varying with other autism-like traits. Spectrum has previously reported on the study of these primates as an autism model. Molecular Autism
Researchers have developed an automated tool to assess motor-control skills in autistic children by measuring the smoothness and velocity of finger-tracing on a tablet. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders