Autism News and Research

Latest Autism News and Research

Patients Medical provides patients with valuable tips to prevent Lyme disease

Patients Medical, a leading integrative and holistic medical center in New York City, is supporting National Lyme Disease Awareness month by providing patients with valuable tips to prevent the disease, as well as education on the best treatment options available.

6 May 2010

RayBiotech announces biomarker grant winners

RayBiotech, Inc. has announced the winners of its Biomarker Discovery Pilot Grant program. In total, 18 award recipients were chosen for grants of up to $20,000 each, redeemable for RayBiotech products and services. "By offering these grants," states Dr. Ray (Ruopan) Huang, Founder and President of RayBiotech, "we intend to demonstrate that any researcher with a modest research budget can successfully discover and validate disease-related biomarkers using our antibody arrays."

6 May 2010

New study finds stereotypies in more than 60% of orphaned or abandoned children

Stereotypies -- repetitive behaviors such as rocking, flapping, spinning objects and head-banging – are commonly seen in people with autism or mental retardation. They can also be acquired by children exposed to severe neglect and deprivation, along with declines in IQ, mental health and language.

4 May 2010

Brain changes indicative of Fragile X syndrome take place early

Brain changes associated with the most common cause of mental retardation can be seen in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of children as young as one to three years old, according to a study by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Stanford University.

4 May 2010

Algal DHA improves memory function in healthy aging adults: MIDAS

The Memory Improvement with Docosahexaenoic acid Study published online this week in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association showed that algal DHA improved memory function in healthy aging adults, providing a benefit roughly equivalent to having the learning and memory skills of someone three years younger.

4 May 2010

ZENPEP CF Cycle for Life to be launched to support research and cure for cystic fibrosis

Thousands of cyclists will take to the streets this summer and fall as the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation launches a new cycling tour in 18 cities across the country to support research to find new therapies and a cure for cystic fibrosis. The tour series, known as ZENPEP CF Cycle for Life, begins in San Francisco on June 26.

4 May 2010

Play-based intervention trial at Sydney University for children with ADHD

The Sydney University Faculty of Health Sciences is seeking participants for a new play-based intervention program which aims to assist children with ADHD to develop their social interactions.

4 May 2010

NIAID researchers initiate trial of DAS181 in patients with asthma, bronchiectasis

NexBio, Inc. announced today the initiation of a trial of DAS181 (Fludase®) in patients with the respiratory conditions asthma and bronchiectasis, being conducted by researchers with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This trial will examine the effects of DAS181 in subjects with well-controlled or stable pulmonary disease.

3 May 2010

Omeros announces additional data from Phase 2 trial of OMS103HP for arthroscopic meniscectomy surgery

Omeros Corporation today announced additional data from a Phase 2 trial of OMS103HP, its PharmacoSurgery™ product candidate for arthroscopy, showing that patients treated with OMS103HP during arthroscopic meniscectomy surgery achieved statistically significant clinical benefits.

3 May 2010

Researchers discuss challenges to improve vaccine coverage for American children

While national immunization rates remain high, vaccine refusals are troubling. In some parts of the country, pockets of unimmunized children have left communities vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases, leading to outbreaks.

3 May 2010

Sleep problems in children and adolescents with ASDs associated with daytime behaviors: Report

Reports have suggested that sleep problems in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders are associated with challenging daytime behaviors.

3 May 2010

CAM use higher among children with GI symptoms: Study

Complementary and alternative medicine is becoming a popular treatment for a variety of conditions, with national data showing it is used by about 12 percent of children.

3 May 2010

Psychotropic medications common among children with ASD: Research

Behavioral interventions typically are the first line of treatment to manage unwanted behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorders. If behaviors do not improve, medications frequently are added to the mix.

3 May 2010

Experts to discuss on ASD at PAS meeting

It is estimated that nearly 1.5 million Americans have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, and about 1 in 110 children are believed to have some form of autism, according to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

3 May 2010

ATN study shows prevalence of GI symptoms in children with ASD

Parents of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders sometimes report that their children suffer from gastrointestinal symptoms, such as diarrhea and constipation. However, studies on how prevalent these symptoms are have had conflicting results.

3 May 2010

Mutations in several genes associated with developmental brain disorder: Study

Although there is no known cause of autism, studies have shown that mutations in several genes are associated with the developmental brain disorder. New research has uncovered two additional genes that may be involved with autism.

3 May 2010

SickKids receives $8.9M grant for autism research

A research team co-led by Dr. Stephen Scherer, Senior Scientist at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) was awarded an $8.9 million grant today from the Global Leadership Round in Genomics & Life Sciences (GL(2)), which is part of the Ontario Research Fund (ORF) by the Ministry of Research and Innovation (MRI).

30 Apr 2010

22% of Canadians have contemplated or attempted suicide

On the eve of Children's Mental Health Week (May 2 to 8), Kinark Child and Family Services, a not-for-profit child and youth mental health organization in Ontario that provides expert help to children, youth and their families, released the results of a nation-wide poll that found that one in five Canadians has contemplated or attempted suicide. The online survey was conducted between April 12 and 14, 2010 with a nationally representative sample of 1,000 adults. The results are accurate to within +/- 3.1 percent at the 95% confidence level.

29 Apr 2010

PAF annual report offers summary of issues impacting Americans' access to healthcare

Patient Advocate Foundation -- a national non-profit organization that seeks to safeguard patients through effective mediation assuring access to care, maintenance of employment and preservation of their financial stability relative to their diagnosis of life threatening or debilitating diseases -- today released their annual Patient Data Analysis Report, which documents the scope and complexity of the healthcare finance, access and job retention issues routinely confronted by patients at the national and state-specific level.

29 Apr 2010

Survey: Americans worry about getting health coverage, but leading Democrat optimistic of turnaround

Reuters: A new survey published Wednesday suggests that "Americans are steadily losing confidence in their ability to get healthcare and pay for it, despite the passage of healthcare reform legislation."

29 Apr 2010