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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Tag: cortex

June 2013

Amygdala and autism’s checkered history

by  /  4 June 2013

To understand the amygdala’s role in autism, researchers should study its connections with other brain structures and explore its role in development, says Ralph Adolphs.

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May 2013

Genetics: Protein transport affects neuronal junctions

by  /  14 May 2013

Two proteins involved in shuttling other proteins between the outside and inside of a cell show a distinct pattern of expression in autism brains, according to a report published 19 March in Molecular Psychiatry.

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Scientists home in on key spot in brain for autism risk

by  /  4 May 2013

By analyzing the expression patterns of nine candidate genes for autism, researchers have identified a population of cells and a select time during fetal development that may be key to the disorder.

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March 2013

Fragile X mutation may lead to noisy brain signals

by  /  28 March 2013

Researchers have uncovered a new role for the protein missing in fragile X syndrome — it regulates the release of neurotransmitters, chemical messengers in the brain, according to a mouse study published 20 February in Neuron.

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How do we connect the dots of connectivity?

by  /  22 March 2013

Growing evidence suggests that abnormal connectivity in the brain underlies autism, but conflicting interpretations persist about where and how the dysfunction occurs. How do we investigate the underlying mechanisms of this theory?

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Is ‘underconnectivity’ in autism specific to frontal cortex?

by ,  /  22 March 2013

Autism may result from reduced anatomical connectivity and functional connectivity between the frontal cortex and more posterior areas of the brain, say Marcel Adam Just and Timothy Keller.

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Molecular mechanisms: Deletion moves inhibitory neurons

by  /  1 March 2013

Loss of one copy of 22q11.2 — a chromosomal region linked to schizophrenia and autism — shifts the location of neurons that inhibit brain signals, according to a study published 6 November in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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February 2013

The 2003 paper proposing signaling imbalance in autism

by ,  /  26 February 2013

In 2003, John Rubenstein and Michael Merzenich first described the theory, now popular in autism, that the disorder reflects an imbalance between excitation and inhibition in the brain. Takao K. Hensch and Parizad M. Bilimoria review the paper and its impact on the field.

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Vikaas Sohal on abnormal neural circuits in autism

 /  6 March 2013

Watch the complete replay of Vikaas Sohal’s webinar on abnormal neural circuits in autism. Submit your own follow-up questions.

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Wired differently

by  /  22 February 2013

A new map highlighting brain circuits finds that regions involved in synthesizing information tend to vary more among people than those that govern sensory and motor functions.

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