Autism News and Research

Latest Autism News and Research

Drexel study shows how microtubules play vital role in keeping neurons on proper trajectory

As the human brain develops, neurons leave their birthplace and take a trip to distant locations. Once they reach their final destination, the neurons then send out axons and dendrites -- the branches that receive and send messages from other cells.

18 May 2016

University of Derby introduces new MOOC to provide better knowledge on autism, Asperger’s and ADHD

A new Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) to educate anyone interested in learning more about autism, Asperger’s and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been launched by the University of Derby.

From University of Derby Online Learning 13 May 2016

High level of folate in mothers may double infant's chances of developing autism

Women who plan on becoming pregnant are told they need enough of the nutrient folate to ensure proper neurodevelopment of their babies, but new research from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health suggests there could be serious risks in having far too much of the same nutrient.

12 May 2016

New mouse model reveals underlying brain changes linked to autism's social, learning problems

A new mouse model of a genetically-linked type of autism reveals more about the role of genes in the disorder and the underlying brain changes associated with autism's social and learning problems.

11 May 2016

Increasing ghrelin levels during hunger can negatively affect decision making capabilities

Never make a decision when you are hungry. The hormone ghrelin - that is released before meals and known to increase appetite - has a negative effect on both decision making and impulse control. Such were the results of a recently conducted study at Sahlgrenska University.

10 May 2016

Transcranial direct current stimulation proves effective for binge-eating disorder

Transcranial direct current stimulation, or tDCS, has proved effective for binge-eating disorder for the first time, according to researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

10 May 2016

New article reviews guidelines for folic acid supplementation in pregnancy

Future Science Group today announced the publication of a new article in Future Science OA, reviewing national and international guidelines for folic acid supplementation, and analyzing its potential risks and benefits in terms of maternal and fetal outcomes.

9 May 2016

New study finds genetic overlap between bipolar disorder and autism

A new study suggests there may be an overlap between rare genetic variations linked to bipolar disorder (BD) and those implicated in schizophrenia and autism.

5 May 2016

Scientists detect blood biomarker that may help in early diagnosis of children with ASD

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified a blood biomarker that may aid in earlier diagnosis of children with autism spectrum disorder, or ASD.

4 May 2016

Autistic children score almost exactly same as neurotypical kids in tests of learning new words

A new study has found that children with autism are capable of learning new words the same way any child would—by following someone's gaze as they name an object. They just take longer to pick up the skill.

4 May 2016

Researchers identify 43 specific genes associated with both autism and cancer

Autism and cancer share more than 40 risk genes, suggesting that common mechanisms underlying the functions of some of these genes could conceivably be leveraged to develop therapies not just for cancer but for autism as well, an extensive assessment by researchers with the UC Davis MIND Institute and Comprehensive Cancer Center has found.

4 May 2016

Brain receptor that initiates adolescent synaptic pruning appears to go awry in autism, schizophrenia

Research led by SUNY Downstate Medical Center has identified a brain receptor that appears to initiate adolescent synaptic pruning, a process believed necessary for learning, but one that appears to go awry in both autism and schizophrenia.

3 May 2016

Snapshots of NMDA receptor activation may help in novel drug design

Structural biologists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and Janelia Research Campus/HHMI, have obtained snapshots of the activation of an important type of brain-cell receptor. Dysfunction of the receptor has been implicated in a range of neurological illnesses, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, depression, seizure, schizophrenia, autism, and injuries related to stroke.

3 May 2016

Scientists measure electrical activity of individual brain cells responsible for body recognition

Specific regions of the brain are specialized in recognizing bodies of animals and human beings. By measuring the electrical activity per cell, scientists from KU Leuven, Belgium, and the University of Glasgow have shown that the individual brain cells in these areas do different things. Their response to specific contours or body shapes is very selective.

29 Apr 2016

Key gene changes reveal four previously unknown conditions within schizophrenia

Changes in key genes clearly define four previously unknown conditions within the umbrella diagnosis of schizophrenia, according to a study led by researchers from NYU Langone Medical Center published online April 28 in EBioMedicine, a Lancet journal. Cases associated with changes in each of the four genes were different from each other in terms of symptoms, intelligence level and other disease features.

29 Apr 2016

Exposure to SSRI during gestation increases chances of adolescent offspring depression

A study to be published in the May 2016 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP) reports that use of certain antidepressants during pregnancy can result in offspring depression by early adolescence.

28 Apr 2016

Maternal exposure to air pollution increases risk of long-term health problems in children

Even small amounts of air pollution appear to raise the risk of a condition in pregnant women linked to premature births and lifelong neurological and respiratory disorders in their children, new Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research suggests.

28 Apr 2016

Novel spoken-language intervention could benefit children, adolescents with developmental disabilities

Sean Sawicki, who has fragile X syndrome, can be hard to understand and doesn't always have the attention span to carry on a sustained conversation. But a novel intervention developed by UC Davis MIND Institute researchers seems to be making a difference.

28 Apr 2016

Experimental cancer drug Nutlin-3 shows promise in cancelling effects of fragile X syndrome

A University of Wisconsin-Madison researcher who studies the most common genetic intellectual disability has used an experimental drug to reverse — in mice — damage from the mutation that causes the syndrome.

28 Apr 2016

Group of gamma-protocadherins linked with neurons help regulate growth of dendrites

When you think of a neuron, imagine a tree. A healthy brain cell indeed looks like a tree with a full canopy. There's a trunk, which is the cell's nucleus; there's a root system, embodied in a single axon; and there are the branches, called dendrites.

28 Apr 2016

Autism News and Research

Latest Autism News and Research

Drexel study shows how microtubules play vital role in keeping neurons on proper trajectory

University of Derby introduces new MOOC to provide better knowledge on autism, Asperger’s and ADHD

High level of folate in mothers may double infant's chances of developing autism

New mouse model reveals underlying brain changes linked to autism's social, learning problems

Increasing ghrelin levels during hunger can negatively affect decision making capabilities

Transcranial direct current stimulation proves effective for binge-eating disorder

New article reviews guidelines for folic acid supplementation in pregnancy

New study finds genetic overlap between bipolar disorder and autism

Scientists detect blood biomarker that may help in early diagnosis of children with ASD

Autistic children score almost exactly same as neurotypical kids in tests of learning new words

Researchers identify 43 specific genes associated with both autism and cancer

Brain receptor that initiates adolescent synaptic pruning appears to go awry in autism, schizophrenia

Snapshots of NMDA receptor activation may help in novel drug design

Scientists measure electrical activity of individual brain cells responsible for body recognition

Key gene changes reveal four previously unknown conditions within schizophrenia

Exposure to SSRI during gestation increases chances of adolescent offspring depression

Maternal exposure to air pollution increases risk of long-term health problems in children

Novel spoken-language intervention could benefit children, adolescents with developmental disabilities

Experimental cancer drug Nutlin-3 shows promise in cancelling effects of fragile X syndrome

Group of gamma-protocadherins linked with neurons help regulate growth of dendrites

This International Women’s Day, Meet the Scientist Changing Women’s Healthcare

Microphysiological systems in drug discovery

Considerations for taking ASO discovery programs into animal models

Autism News and Research

Latest Autism News and Research

This International Women’s Day, Meet the Scientist Changing Women’s Healthcare

Microphysiological systems in drug discovery

Considerations for taking ASO discovery programs into animal models

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