Helen Tager-Flusberg
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Helen Tager-Flusberg
@htagerf.bsky.social
420 followers 120 following 50 posts

Semi-retired BU dev cog psycho ling. Focus on autism

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Helen Tager-Flusberg is an American psychologist who is professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Science at Boston University and the Departments of Anatomy and Neurobiology and Pediatrics at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM). She is the Director of the Center for Autism Research Excellence at Boston University. .. more

Neuroscience 43%
Psychology 38%
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Reposted by Nancy Kanwisher, Helen Tager‐Flusberg, Hugo Mercier , and 1 more

profsimonfisher.bsky.social
Simon Fisher @profsimonfisher.bsky.social · 5d
Origins of language, one of humanity’s most distinctive traits, may be best explained as a unique convergence of multiple capacities each with its own evolutionary history, involving intertwined roles of biology & culture. This framing can expand research horizons. A 🧵 on our @science.org paper.🧪1/n
What enables human language? A biocultural framework
Explaining the origins of language is a key challenge in understanding ourselves as a species. We present an empirical framework that draws on synergies across fields to facilitate robust studies of l...
www.science.org

Reposted by Helen Tager‐Flusberg

firedbutfighting.bsky.social
Fired but Fighting (National Public Health Coalition) @firedbutfighting.bsky.social · 5d
“The rewriting of CDC’s guidance is not a routine update. It is a warning. If scientific consensus can be erased with a keystroke & replaced with politically curated doubt, institutions meant to safeguard national health are at risk.“
By @drdebhoury.bsky.social @drdemetre.bsky.social & Dan Jernigan
We are former CDC officials. RFK Jr.'s change to vaccine guidance is propaganda.
Under Secretary Kennedy, CDC materials can no longer be assumed to reflect scientific authority.
www.ms.now

Reposted by Helen Tager‐Flusberg

elenatenenbaum.bsky.social
Elena Tenenbaum @elenatenenbaum.bsky.social · 7d
The Coalition of Autism Scientists does not support new information published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control on November 19, 2025 linking vaccination and autism as it is misleading and not evidence-based.
Coalition of Autism Scientists | "autism scientists"
The Coalition of Autism Scientists formed in 2025 and is comprised of the leading autism researchers across the United States. The website includes statements made by researchers and science-based edu...
www.coalitionofautismscientists.org

Reposted by Helen Tager‐Flusberg

deevybee.bsky.social
Dorothy Bishop @deevybee.bsky.social · 14d
Agree, but I think it goes beyond sunk costs - there's something about autism that is a magnet for research on hot topics - the hot topic being one where you can always find *something* and which sounds exciting. In this case microbiome. I reckon the life cycle of these things is at least 25 years.
cooganlab.bsky.social Andrew Coogan @cooganlab.bsky.social · 14d
A great example of the sunk cost fallacy in research; at which point do you stop asking non-productive research questions and admit that no further research is warranted as there just is not much effects of importance there?
cellpress.bsky.social Cell Press @cellpress.bsky.social · 15d
The link between the gut #microbiome and autism is not backed by science, researchers say.

Read the full opinion piece in @cp-neuron.bsky.social: spkl.io/63322AbxpA

@wiringthebrain.bsky.social, @statsepi.bsky.social, & @deevybee.bsky.social

Reposted by Helen Tager‐Flusberg

bergelsonlab.bsky.social
bergelsonlab @bergelsonlab.bsky.social · 18d
lots of invigorating discussion this year at #BUCLD2025. Unsurprisingly, LLMs as models & as tools made many appearances w/a wide range of views/claims/caveats ab what they can(not) tell us ab language development
I'm still chewing on a few things that seemed to get short shrift 1/4 🐦🐦

Reposted by Helen Tager‐Flusberg

deevybee.bsky.social
Dorothy Bishop @deevybee.bsky.social · 26d
hopeless autism study still up in J Pers Med despite
promise to retract it www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/seco...
This is how @mdpiopenaccess.bsky.social pollutes the literature with junk
Opinion | A Journal Promised to Retract a Flawed Autism Study. It's Still Online.
Junk science leaves an indelible mark
www.medpagetoday.com

Reposted by Helen Tager‐Flusberg

profsimonfisher.bsky.social
Simon Fisher @profsimonfisher.bsky.social · 29d
If you're interested in how advances in human genomics are transforming our understanding of the biology of spoken & written language abilities, please do check out my new peer-reviewed "tutorial" article, just published.
🗣️🧬🧪
[Will also make a Bsky explainer 🧵 on it next week when I get some time🙂.]
Genomic Investigations of Spoken and Written Language Abilities: A Guide to Advances in Approaches, Technologies, and Discovery
Purpose: The aim of this tutorial is to show how the rise of molecular technologies and analytical methods in human genetics yields exciting new ...
pubs.asha.org

Reposted by Helen Tager‐Flusberg

Reposted by Helen Tager‐Flusberg

fusaroli.bsky.social
Riccardo Fusaroli @fusaroli.bsky.social · Oct 15
Conversational turn-taking feels effortless, but it's a complex dance. We find social context—who you're talking to and what you're talking about—fundamentally changes conversational dynamics in both autistic & TD children. 1/

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... w @chrismmcox.bsky.social
Social Context Matters for Turn‐Taking Dynamics: A Comparative Study of Autistic and Typically Developing Children
Engaging in fluent conversation is a surprisingly complex task that requires interlocutors to promptly respond to each other in a way that is appropriate to the social context. In this study, we dise...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Reposted by Helen Tager‐Flusberg

marlijnterbekke.bsky.social
Marlijn ter Bekke @marlijnterbekke.bsky.social · Oct 15
Happy with this popular science article about our work (with @lindadrijvers.bsky.social and @judithholler.bsky.social), showing that listeners use co-speech hand gestures to predict upcoming meaning ✋ www.medscape.com/viewarticle/...
What Using Our Hands While Speaking Reveals About Our Brains
Researchers now have fascinating insights into how our brains function while we communicate — and our hand gestures hold the key.
www.medscape.com

Reposted by Dorothy Bishop, Helen Tager‐Flusberg

profsimonfisher.bsky.social
Simon Fisher @profsimonfisher.bsky.social · Oct 10
New paper alert! Rare DNA changes in the SETBP1 gene are linked to speech problems & diverse syndromes affecting brain development. Work led by ace postdoc @maggiemkwong.bsky.social uncovered impact of different gene variants, coupling clinical/speech evaluation to molecular & cellular readouts.🧬🗣️🔬🧪
SETBP1 variants outside the degron disrupt DNA-binding, transcription and neuronal differentiation capacity to cause a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder - Nature Communications
Different types of SETBP1 variants cause variable developmental syndromes with only partial clinical and functional overlaps. Here, the authors report that SETBP1 variants outside the degron region impair DNA-binding, transcription, and neuronal differentiation capacity and morphologies.
www.nature.com

Reposted by Helen Tager‐Flusberg, Julia R. Trosman, Anne Nevgi

Reposted by Helen Tager‐Flusberg

Reposted by Helen Tager‐Flusberg

Reposted by Helen Tager‐Flusberg

Helen Tager-Flusberg @htagerf.bsky.social · Sep 27
A rewarding start to my day!
realantipartisan.bsky.social RobertNDouglass🇺🇳🇵🇸🇺🇦🇷🇺🇰🇷🇯🇵 @realantipartisan.bsky.social · Sep 27
Washington Journal
#CSPAN #CSPANWJ
Skeet at @c-span.bsky.social and cspanwj.bsky.social

Joining Center for Autism Research Excellence (CARE) Director Helen Tager-Flusberg @htagerf.bsky.social to discuss #autism, efforts to increase understanding of autism disorders.

WATCH: tinyurl.com/m8h3uzv7

Reposted by Helen Tager‐Flusberg

realantipartisan.bsky.social
RobertNDouglass🇺🇳🇵🇸🇺🇦🇷🇺🇰🇷🇯🇵 @realantipartisan.bsky.social · Sep 27
Washington Journal
#CSPAN #CSPANWJ
Skeet at @c-span.bsky.social and cspanwj.bsky.social

Joining Center for Autism Research Excellence (CARE) Director Helen Tager-Flusberg @htagerf.bsky.social to discuss #autism, efforts to increase understanding of autism disorders.

WATCH: tinyurl.com/m8h3uzv7

Reposted by Helen Tager‐Flusberg