WTB 2011

Recent articles

Spectrum from The Transmitter.

Space cadets

People with autism are better able to visualize objects rotating in space — perhaps because their brains are wired differently than healthy controls.

By Deborah Rudacille
18 April 2011 | 2 min read
Spectrum from The Transmitter.

Maternal stress alters behavior of generations

Early trauma alters both behavior and gene expression in three generations of mice, suggesting that epigenetic changes may contribute to 'hidden heritability' in neuropsychiatric disorders.

By Deborah Rudacille
18 April 2011 | 5 min read
Spectrum from The Transmitter.

Specialized neurons help explore circuit defects in autism

A powerful cell that dampens electrical signaling in the brain could help unravel the disrupted brain wiring seen in people with autism, according to results presented yesterday at the Wiring the Brain meeting in Ireland.

By Deborah Rudacille
14 April 2011 | 4 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Headshots of Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel.

How Nobel Prize-winning optogenetics has revolutionized neuroscience

The technique has enabled neuroscientists to target brain circuits and cells with unprecedented specificity, transforming the study of memory, interoception, brain disorders and reward, among other domains.

Illustration of two cats jumping to opposite buildings in a city.

Is confidence a second thought—or part of the first one?

In some settings, neural circuits may calculate confidence in a decision simultaneously with the choice itself. That changes the types of questions researchers should ask.

By Ariel Zylberberg
5 October 2026 | 6 min read
Illustration of a plate with a cherry in front of a computer server.

What AI can learn from hunger

To enhance AI safety, take a lesson from biological brains; a small set of wants maintains durable control over a much larger cognitive system.

By Anthony Zador
5 October 2026 | 6 min read