Notable papers of 2015
Our top 10 papers for this year, based on input from autism researchers, capture the full spectrum of findings — from molecular biology to large-scale epidemiology.
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Spectrum: Autism Research News
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Environment
From parental age to infection during pregnancy, environmental elements can influence autism risk.
December 2015
November 2015
Gut feeling: How microbes shape autism
An unusual mix of bacteria may be to blame for the frequent gut problems in people with autism. New findings suggest they may also alter the mind.
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Why don’t we know what environmental factors cause autism?
Scientists can rattle off lists of dozens of genes linked to autism, but there’s much less agreement about which elements of the environment contribute to the condition — and by how much.
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October 2015
Male mice more vulnerable to tilt of gut-brain axis
Early disruption of the microbes that inhabit the gut can alter a mouse’s sociability long term.
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Environmental double hit may induce seizures, autism behaviors
The combination of prenatal stress and a preterm labor drug may elicit seizures and autism-like behaviors in rat pups.
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Prairie vole study digs up link between Prozac, oxytocin
Prairie vole pups exposed to the antidepressant fluoxetine in the womb show autism-like behaviors and lose some receptors for oxytocin and vasopressin.
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Brain circuit signs flag preterm babies’ risk for autism
Infants born prematurely show alterations in the structure and function of their brain circuits — findings that may help explain their increased risk for autism.
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By chemically tagging genes, sex hormones shape brain
The environment’s influence on gene expression can vary by sex and affect autism’s expression.
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Male mice pass stress signatures down to their pups
The pups of male mice exposed to stress show a muted response to stressful situations of their own, suggesting that environmental effects can last generations.
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Prozac during pregnancy alters mouse pup behavior
Pregnant mice exposed to the antidepressant fluoxetine have pups with autism-like behavioral impairments.
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