GABA agonist rescues auditory hypersensitivity in rats missing autism-linked gene CNTNAP2

BY PETER HESS

The investigational drug arbaclofen may right an imbalance between inhibitory and excitatory signaling in the animals’ brains.

Drug boosts cognition in men with fragile X syndrome

BY ESTHER LANDHUIS

A drug that prevents an enzyme from breaking down a key molecule involved in learning and memory improved cognition and behavior in a small phase 2 study of men with fragile X syndrome. The findings were published today in Nature Medicine.

Anxiety specific to autism linked to amygdala differences

BY LAURA DATTARO

People who experience an autism-specific form of anxiety also tend to have an unusually small amygdala, a brain region associated with emotion processing and fear, according to a new unpublished study.

By the Numbers: Journal submissions, gender gaps, ABA access

BY LAURA DATTARO, JACLYN JEFFREY-WILENSKY

Welcome to the first edition of the By the Numbers Newsletter! At Spectrum, we do our best to summarize the latest autism research findings — and sometimes the best summary comes in the form of a chart or map. In this newsletter, we boil down interesting new research that is conveyed most succinctly by way of simple data visualizations.

Let us know what you think of the newsletter, or tell us about your own data-rich work, at news@spectrumnews.org.

Brain circuit makes social interactions rewarding, may be altered in autism

BY ANGIE VOYLES ASKHAM

Blocking connections between the amygdala and hypothalamus prevents mice from finding social interactions as rewarding as they would otherwise.

Jump-starting growth signaling reverses microcephaly in autism mouse model

BY PETER HESS

A genetic therapy and an existing drug both restore typical brain size in mice missing DYRK1A, a top autism candidate gene, in the cerebral cortex, a new study shows. The animals typically have smaller brains than controls.

Tissue-swelling method divulges RNA locations, sequences in cells

BY CHLOE WILLIAMS

A technique that expands tissue before spotting and sequencing RNA — the molecular messenger for DNA — enables researchers to see where particular genes are expressed in cells.

Spotted around the web: FOXP1 syndrome, personal space, autism gene therapies

BY JILL ADAMS

Here is a roundup of news and research for the week of 26 April.

Webinar: Shafali Jeste and Nicole McDonald on going beyond baby siblings in autism research

Register here for the next Spectrum webinar on 26 May at 1 p.m. EDT, featuring Shafali Jeste and Nicole McDonald, who will talk about their paper “Beyond baby siblings - Expanding the definition of ‘high-risk infants’ in autism research.