Although autism is typically thought of as a brain condition, a critical mass of researchers has started to investigate how the condition alters neurons elsewhere in the body. ow.ly/NilR50SkrMB

Increased excitatory and decreased inhibitory synapses in the prefrontal cortex of autistic people suggest broader impacts on brain function and connectivity. By Giorgia Guglielmi (she/her) thetransmitter.org/spectrum/synap…

In the newest episode of "Synaptic," So Hyun "Sophy" Kim talks about being mentored by Catherine Lord, how her grandparents fled North Korea after the Korean War, and her journey to study in the United States. By Brady Huggett bit.ly/4brC3cJ

July is Fragile X Awareness Month, and in this roundup we highlight some of our coverage of the condition. By Daisy Yuhas thetransmitter.org/spectrum/under…

Growing brain organoids from the cells of multiple people may help scale up comparative brain research. By Charles Q. Choi 🚀 thetransmitter.org/methods/brain-…

George Musser aims to crack the deep question of what “understanding” is, however unbrain-like its models may be. By George Musser thetransmitter.org/neural-network…

Shafali Spurling Jeste discusses using the power of community to strengthen clinical trials for rare genetic syndromes. By Shafali Jeste thetransmitter.org/spectrum/lever…

Leveraging the power of community to strengthen clinical trials for rare genetic syndromes | The Transmitter: Neuroscience News and Perspectives thetransmitter.org/spectrum/lever…

Stem cells from autistic toddlers with prominent social and cognitive challenges form larger cortical organoids than do those from toddlers with milder forms of autism, according to a new study. By Holly Barker thetransmitter.org/spectrum/brain…

Cathleen O'Grady sat down with Tony Charman to discuss an autism research registry and how a purpose-built database of participants who have shared genomic and behavioral data could give clinical trials a boost. thetransmitter.org/spectrum/build…

A newly launched research center in Nigeria could offer a model for expanding neuroscience across the continent. By Mahmoud Bukar Maina PhD FRSA thetransmitter.org/craft-and-care…

Monkeys can memorize a sequence of images and then toggle between them in their minds, a new study has found. By Katie Moisse thetransmitter.org/cognitive-neur…

Catherine Dulac explains how reading widely shaped her worldview, and discusses the vomeronasal organ in this new episode of Synaptic. Listen now: By Brady Huggett thetransmitter.org/synaptic/male-…

Genes tied to a variety of brain conditions, including autism, are expressed in organizers—regions that govern how neural stem cells evolve and differentiate into diverse cell types, according to a new preprint. By Chloe Williams thetransmitter.org/spectrum/brain…

A 15-item test could strengthen research on early behavioral interventions for autism by enabling head-to-head comparisons of different approaches. By Sarah DeWeerdt thetransmitter.org/spectrum/sensi…

A new clinic is assessing children who have a genetic predisposition for autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions—sometimes before traits appear. By Lauren Schenkman thetransmitter.org/spectrum/a-gen…

The authors of a 2022 auditory perceptual learning paper retracted their study last month after other researchers identified methodological errors. By Shaena Montanari thetransmitter.org/spectrum/task-…

The Transmitter rounds up efforts to improve equity and diversity both within the field and in research projects. By Daisy Yuhas thetransmitter.org/spectrum/creat…

Lawmakers are ironing out the next major tranche of federal funding for autism research in the United States, hoping to renew critical legislation—the Autism CARES Act—before it expires on 30 September. By Rachel Zamzow thetransmitter.org/spectrum/in-up…