1. Bian Y, Li Y, Zhu Y, Li D, Geng Y, Guan S, Feng D, Li R, Xu Q. Aberrant Emotion-Cognition Integration in FMR1 Premutation Carriers: A fNIRS Study. eNeuro. 2026; 13(8).

Carriers of the FMR1 (Fragile X Messenger Ribonucleoprotein 1) premutation (55-200 CGG repeats on the X chromosome), known as premutation carriers (PMCs), often exhibit executive dysfunction. Yet, the neural mechanism of cognitive and executive dysfunction in PMCs remains underexplored. This study investigated the neural alterations associated with the inhibitory control and conflict processing of PMCs using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) technique. We recruited 31 participants, including 14 participants with the FMR1 premutation (all females, mean age: 36.93 ± 8.06 years) and 17 controls (3 male and 14 females, mean age, 30.86 ± 5.90 years). Hemodynamic activity of the participants during emotional Go/No-Go and Stroop tasks was recorded using a fNIRS system. The neural activation in response to different tasks was examined. Compared with the control group, the PMCs group exhibited decreased activation in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC, p = 0.03) during the Stroop task. They also revealed increased activation in the right DLPFC (p = 0.015), right frontopolar cortex (FPC, p = 0.027), right Broca’s area (p = 0.013), left premotor and supplementary motor area (SMA, p = 0.013), and visual association cortex (p = 0.044) during the Go/No-Go task. Conversely, the PMCs group exhibited decreased activation in the right premotor and SMA (p = 0.018) and the right somatosensory association cortex (p = 0.013). Our findings revealed atypical neural patterns in response to the Stroop and Go/No-Go tasks, suggesting the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of inhibitory control and conflict processing are disrupted in PMCs, potentially guiding targeted interventions.

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2. Chandran MK, Sudhamathy G. TinyDINO VHaar based Bi-directional Chameleon optimized LightASDNet for autism spectrum disorder detection. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging. 2026; 363: 112290.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in toddlers is characterized by neurodevelopmental deficits while its early detection remains challenging due to the lack of specific biomarkers and developmental variability. Therefore, a TinyDINO VHaar based Bi-directional Factorization with Chameleon optimized LightASDNet (TiDI-ASDNet) is proposed. In this framework, input images are initially pre-processed using Optimized Hierarchical Guided Image Filter (OHGF) to denoise and outlier removal, while Self-Distillation with No Labels version 2-Network Vector of Locally Aggregated Descriptors (DINOv2-NetVLAD) extracts the global visual patterns. Simultaneously, the input texts are pre-processed using One-Hot SMOTE (OHS) for easier interpretation. Besides, the standard structures interrupt syntactic/structural parsing due to autistic language corpora which clusters n-gram pattern, weakening the pragmatic deficits. To address these issues a Hybrid Tiny Encoder based HaarNet (TE-HNet) that extracts discriminative questionnaire features and maintains the lexical stringency. Since, the manifold torsion occurs due to discrepancy in encoding levels from non-isomorphic latent structures with non-diffeomorphic mapping, Bi-directional Encoder based Cross Factorization (BiE-xF) is employed and it learns about the shared semantics of visual features and behavioral linguistic features, which reduces Heteroscedastic Ambiguity. Besides, the motor stimming behaviour produces recurring self-stimulatory motor patterns that confound temporal alignment in vision-based ASD models. Thus, Modified Chameleon optimized LightASDNet (MC-LAN) is presented for classifying ASD and non-ASD thereby mitigates Dyspraxic Gait Aberrations. Simulations revealed the robustness of the framework with 99.2% AUC and 98.2% accuracy.

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3. Lu L, Sarkar AK, Dao L, Liu Y, Ma C, Thwin PH, Chang X, Yoshida G, Li A, Wang C, Westerkamp C, Schmitt L, Chelsey M, Stephanie M, Zhao Y, Liu Y, Wang X, Zhu LQ, Liu D, Tchieu J, Miyakoshi M, Zhu H, Gross C, Pedapati E, Salomonis N, Erickson C, Guo Z. The m(6)A-mediated epi-transcriptomic dysregulation drives synaptic dysfunction in fragile X syndrome. Mol Psychiatry. 2026.

Fragile X syndrome (FXS), the leading genetic cause of intellectual disability, arises from FMR1 gene silencing and the subsequent loss of the RNA-binding protein FMRP. N6-methyladenosine (m(6)A) is a prevalent mRNA modification essential for post-transcriptional regulation. FMRP binds and regulates the stability of m(6)A-containing transcripts. However, how FMRP deficiency impacts transcriptome-wide m(6)A modifications in FXS remains unknown. To address this, we generated cortical neurons from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from healthy individuals and FXS patients. Electrophysiology recordings revealed synaptic and neuronal network defects in FXS iPSC-derived neurons. Transcriptome-wide analysis revealed striking m(6)A hypermethylation predominantly affecting synapse-associated transcripts. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that FMRP deficiency drives the aberrant translational upregulation of core m(6)A writers, a causal relationship definitively validated using CGG-corrected isogenic control lines. Targeted genetic knockdown of the m(6)A writer METTL3 successfully rescued synaptic phenotypes in FXS neurons, whereas its overexpression in control neurons phenocopied these synaptic defects, confirming the causal role of m(6)A dysregulation in FXS pathology. Notably, pharmacological intervention with the METTL3 inhibitor STM-2457 normalized methylation on synapse-associated transcripts and restored synaptic transmission in FXS neurons. Together, our findings uncover an FMRP-dependent epitranscriptomic mechanism contributing to FXS pathogenesis and suggest a promising avenue for m(6)A-targeted therapies.

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4. Nukala KM, Williquett B, Lilienthal AJ, Thompson DM, Massingham JN, Lye SH, Yu A, Lear BC, Neely GG, Chtarbanova S, Manak JR. Drosophila Prickle Mutants Display Comorbid Neurological Phenotypes and Provide A Genetic Link Between Epilepsy and Autism Spectrum Disorder. bioRxiv. 2026.

Epilepsy affects approximately 30% of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Consistent with these observations, while PRICKLE mutations are primarily linked with epilepsy, there is an enrichment of pathogenic DNA sequence variants in PRICKLE genes carried by individuals with ASD. Nonetheless, a connection between PRICKLE function and ASD warrants further investigation. Here, we show that a seizure-prone Drosophila prickle mutant ( prickle-spiny-legs , or pk (sple) ) exhibits learning and memory deficits, increased pain sensitivity, both communication and social interaction difficulties, and restrictive repetitive grooming behaviors, all of which are strongly correlated with ASD, while a non-seizure prone prickle mutant ( prickle-prickle , or pk (pk) ) does not, thereby providing a direct genetic connection between epilepsy and ASD through prickle . Comparing headed versus headless pk (sple) mutants, we also show that the excessive grooming requires higher level cognitive processing from the brain. Finally, both pk (sple) and pk (pk) mutants exhibit circadian rhythm defects, another feature correlated with ASD, as well as distinct yet overlapping neurological anomalies in processes that include innate immune response, oxidative stress response, neuronal cell death, neurodegeneration, motor dysfunction and reduced lifespan, likely reflecting the unique isoform expression patterns observed in the developing CNS. Collectively, this study highlights the broadscale effects of PRICKLE mutations that extend beyond the primary clinical features of epilepsy to include several of the core features of ASD.

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5. Seczon DL, Woodard KM, Kolodny T, Rea HM, Pettet M, Webb SJ, Murray SO. Visual Responsivity in Autism: Measuring Visual Responses in Autistic and Non-Autistic Adults Using Psychophysics, fMRI, and EEG. Autism Res. 2026: e70335.

Autistic individuals frequently report heightened sensitivity to visual stimuli, often described as discomfort in environments with bright or flickering lights. These experiences are hypothesized to reflect underlying differences in sensory gain or neural hyperexcitability; however, findings across studies have yielded mixed results, likely due to methodological variability. This study aimed to evaluate whether group differences in contrast-dependent neural and behavioral responses to a visual stimulus would be observed across complementary methods: psychophysics, fMRI, and EEG. Thirty-one autistic and twenty-seven non-autistic adults completed experimental sessions in which they passively viewed bilaterally presented 6 Hz counterphase flickering checkerboards at high (100%) and low (2%) contrast. Neural responses were measured using the blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signal from fMRI and steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) from EEG. Contrast robustly modulated responses across experiments, eliciting higher neural responses; however, no group differences emerged in BOLD or behavioral thresholds. The only significant group difference was observed in SSVEP amplitudes, with autistic individuals showing significantly higher neural entrainment to the flickering stimulus than their non-autistic counterparts. Moreover, SSVEP amplitudes were associated with BOLD responses to the same low contrast visual stimulus, suggesting convergence between frequency-locked EEG responses and hemodynamic activity. SSVEP amplitudes were additionally associated with self-reported measures of hypersensitivity, linking heightened neural entrainment to individual differences in sensory experiences. They also showed a differential relationship with perceptual thresholds across groups. These findings show that differences between autistic and non-autistic participants were more evident in frequency-locked neural responses to periodic visual input, as measured by SSVEPs, and that these responses were meaningfully related to visual cortical BOLD activity and sensory hypersensitivity.

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6. Su C, Liu Z, Zhang S, Yi A, Xiao Y. Altered white matter network topology is associated with more profound language impairment in children with autism spectrum disorder. Neuroimage Clin. 2026; 51: 104042.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often exhibit language deficits, yet the influence of varying language deficits on global white matter networks remains underexplored. In this study, diffusion-weighted imaging data were collected from a cohort of Chinese children with ASD (n = 67, 54 boys) and typically developing (TD) children (n = 36, 23 boys) aged 20 to 93 months. K-means clustering divided the ASD sample into higher language (ASD-HL, n = 29) and lower language (ASD-LL, n = 38) subgroups. We examined topological properties of brain networks and compared global and nodal characteristics across ASD subgroups and TD children. Relationships between autism symptom severity, language abilities, and brain network characteristics were also assessed. The ASD-LL subgroup showed reduced global efficiency (Eg), fewer hubs, decreased fiber connectivity, and fewer inter-hemispheric connections, compared to both ASD-HL and TD groups. Decreased Eg was associated with more severe autism symptoms in the ASD-LL subgroup, but not in the ASD-HL subgroup. Moderation analysis revealed that language ability significantly moderated the link between symptom severity and Eg: higher symptom severity was significantly associated with lower Eg in children with lower language ability, but not in those with higher language ability. These findings suggest that language deficits contribute to alterations in white matter networks and may modulate the impact of autism symptoms on brain structural inefficiency in children with ASD. This study underscores the importance of targeting language skills in interventions and using language ability as a key stratification factor in ASD research.

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7. Westerberg B, Bejerot S, Langius-Eklöf A, Holländare F. Sense of Coherence and the Relation to Autistic Traits in Autistic Adults. Autism. 2026: 13623613261469916.

Sense of coherence reflects the ability to comprehend and interpret one’s environment as coherent and to experience life as manageable and meaningful. Sense of coherence is predictive of quality of life in several populations, but this relation has not been investigated among autistic individuals. Even though autistic individuals often describe difficulties perceiving the world in a coherent way, the sense of coherence concept is relatively unexplored in autism. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between autistic traits, sense of coherence and quality of life in autistic individuals in Sweden. A total of 81 adults with autism completed questionnaires covering their sense of coherence, quality of life and autistic traits. The results showed that sense of coherence predicted quality of life and that autistic traits predicted sense of coherence levels in our sample. Based on the results, we suggest that sense of coherence may be important for the understanding of autistic functioning and that sense of coherence is essential for quality of life in this group. The study contributes to the understanding of autistic functioning and adds useful knowledge for the development of appropriate interventions for autistic individuals. Interventions that address aspects aimed at increasing the individual’s sense of coherence may therefore be warranted.Lay AbstractSense of coherence reflects a person’s sense that their environment is understandable, that they can manage life’s challenges and that they judge it to be meaningful. In many populations, a strong sense of coherence is linked to a higher quality of life, but this relation has not been studied among autistic individuals. Even though autistic individuals often describe difficulties perceiving the world in a coherent way, the concept of sense of coherence is relatively unexplored among individuals with autism. This study explored the links between autistic traits, sense of coherence and quality of life in 81 autistic adults in Sweden who completed a series of questionnaires. We found that sense of coherence was a strong predictor of quality of life. We also discovered that having more autistic traits was linked to a weak sense of coherence. Based on our results, we suggest that sense of coherence may be important to understand autistic functioning. We also conclude that sense of coherence is important for quality of life in this group. This suggests that interventions designed to help individuals see their world as more coherent and manageable could be a valuable way to improve their quality of life.

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