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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Author

Rachel Zamzow

Contributing Writer, Spectrum

Rachel Zamzow is a freelance science writer based in Waco, Texas. Her work covering science and health has appeared in Spectrum and the Philadelphia Inquirer, among other publications.

Rachel has a Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of Missouri. She tweets @RachelZamzow.

Contact Info

[email protected]

May 2019
overlapping network of connections in the brain

The connectivity theory of autism, explained

by  /  1 May 2019

A growing body of evidence suggests that autism involves atypical communication between brain regions, but how and where in the brain this plays out is unclear.

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January 2019
Three views of the human brain show connectivity

Sensory, motor connections may be disrupted in autism brains

by  /  31 January 2019

Links between sensory and motor brain networks may be unusually weak in individuals with autism.

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Images of the human brain

Communication in brain may be remarkably constant in autism

by  /  14 January 2019

Patterns of brain activity in people with autism may be unusually consistent over seconds — and even years.

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Invisible man? Move over for invisible mouse

by  /  11 January 2019

A combination of chemical cocktails has created mice that are — yes — virtually invisible. And new imaging technology reveals the mice’s underlying nerves and lymphatic system in unprecedented detail.

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November 2018
Two hands hold two pills, one red and one blue.

Drug duo delivers brain, behavioral benefits for fragile X syndrome

by  /  8 November 2018

Administering a cholesterol drug alongside an antibiotic eases atypical behavior and restores the signaling balance in the brains of people with fragile X syndrome.

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Genetic background can alter behavior of common mouse strains

by  /  7 November 2018

Mice with different genetic backgrounds have distinct behavioral profiles — and that may muddle findings from mouse research.

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Motor, sensory traits refine autism definition in research framework

by  /  7 November 2018

Adding motor and sensory data boosts the accuracy of Research Domain Criteria — a broad research framework adopted by the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health — for predicting autism.

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Three dimensional rendering of the human brain with yellow area showing a change in folding patterns.

Language differences underlie distinct subgroups in autism

by  /  6 November 2018

Brain activity governing language can distinguish children with autism into distinct subgroups.

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Inflammation in womb may spawn autism-like traits in males

by  /  6 November 2018

Chronic exposure to inflammation in the womb alters autism gene expression and disrupts social behavior in male mice, but not females.

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Sensory issues in autism may have sex-specific roots

by  /  4 November 2018

Girls and boys with autism show different patterns of brain activity in response to sensory stimuli.

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