Increasing or reducing the levels of the UBE3A gene, which is associated with autism and autism-related syndromes, results in altered patterns of synaptic pruning — a process that snips away brain cell connections. SourceSource: Spectrum News

This month’s Going on Trial newsletter explores how eye tracking might be used beyond helping with diagnosis, among other drug development news. SourceSource: Spectrum News

Anxiety and other challenges autistic children experience may stem from an increase in social-communication issues and a decrease in repetitive behaviors from ages 6 to 11. SourceSource: Spectrum News

A thin “micro-tether” and rotating connector facilitate uninterrupted, hours-long neural population recordings as the animals freely explore their environment. SourceSource: Spectrum News

Autism researchers can’t agree on how far to go to validate the input they gather from minimally verbal autistic people who use certain communication devices. SourceSource: Spectrum News

Here is a roundup of news and research spotted around the web for the week of 18 September. SourceSource: Spectrum News

The underlying regional neurobiology of the conditions may differ from person to person. SourceSource: Spectrum News

Read recent Spectrum coverage about autism’s apparent rise in prevalence — and some of the potential explanations for it. SourceSource: Spectrum News

A new tool could help decipher the brain circuits underlying aversion to social touch, which is common in people with autism. SourceSource: Spectrum News

A genome-wide association study lays a foundation for deeper investigation of these variants in neurodevelopmental conditions. SourceSource: Spectrum News