Deep focus: Subcortical brain structures contribute to autism more than previously appreciated, according to two new preprints. One study used single-cell RNA sequencing to identify altered gene expression and found that excitatory neurons in the thalamus and hypothalamus are particularly enriched in autism-linked genes, along with cortical regions. The other study used a different method of transcriptomic analysis to further highlight the abundance of autism-linked genes in the thalamus. These results add to work that The Transmitter reported on late last year highlighting the importance of looking beyond the cortex for brain regions and neural pathways that play a role in autism.
Complete coverage: An analysis of the developing human brain finds expression of most autism-linked genes in the thalamus.
Omer Bayraktar, Wellcome Sanger Institute
