Biomarkers

Infographic summarizing findings from zebrafish study. Section 1: There are many genes related to autism. The diversity in autism traits from person to person can make it hard to study, but we can focus on those who share a common trait. Section 2: Disproportionate megalencephaly (big brain, larger than is typical compared to the rest of the body) occurs in 15% of autistic boys. They're more likely to have intellectual disability and fewer language gains over time. Section 3: We looked at the genes of over 100 autistic children with big brains and their parents. We found new gene changes in the children that weren't in their parents. Section 4: Zebrafish share over 70% of the same genes as humans. In zebrafish, we can "edit" genes. This makes them very helpful to learn what certain genes do. We changed the genes to mimic the changes we saw in autistic children with big brains. Then, we measured the size of the zebrafish brains. Section 5: We found a gene called YTHDF2 that impacted brain size. More of this gene results in bigger zebrafish brains. Less of this gene resulted in smaller brains. Section 6: This study showed us how zebrafish can help us understand what different genes do and how they affect the brain. We have many more genes to study. We are excited to learn more about how these genes relate to autism and brain development.

Autism, Big Brains, and Zebrafish?

Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental condition commonly associated with difficulties or differences in communication, social interactions, and repetitive behaviors. Researchers have found that autism is largely influenced by mutations in …

Presentations

Neural biomarkers of autism (70 min)

UC Davis Summer Institute (2018) Talk by Christine Wu Nordahl

Our research program is part of
the UC Davis MIND Institute

Recent Talks & Presentations

Why autism brain studies matter
Women and Girls on the Spectrum (30 min)
Gender Diversity in Autism & the NeuroTeens Support Group
Science Minds (18 min)
Understanding and Supporting the Intersections Between Neurodiversity and Gender Nonconformity (1 hr)

Featured Publications

Autism, Big Brains, and Zebrafish?
Looking at gastrointestinal symptoms in autistic children over time
Sex differences in trajectories of cortical development in autistic children from 2–13 years of age
Why do we need sex-balanced studies of autism?
IQ trajectories in autistic children through preadolescence