Autism News and Research

Latest Autism News and Research

Improved diagnostic tools and early intervention crucial for autism’s global health burden

A new global analysis reveals that an estimated 61.8 million people in 2021 were autistic - equivalent to 1 in every 127 individuals. Conducted as part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021, the research identifies autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as one of the top ten causes of non-fatal health burden for youth under 20 years old.

20 Dec 2024

Study uncovers a previously unknown genetic link to autism spectrum disorder

New research published in The American Journal of Human Genetics has identified a previously unknown genetic link to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study found that variants in the DDX53 gene contribute to ASD, providing new insights into the genetic underpinnings of the condition.

19 Dec 2024

Brain's dual role in processing touch and hearing revealed

Ludwig van Beethoven began to lose his hearing at age 28 and was deaf by age 44. While the cause of his hearing loss remains a topic of scientific debate and ongoing revision, one thing is clear: Despite his hearing loss, Beethoven never ceased to compose music, likely because he was able to sense the vibrations of musical instruments and "hear" music through the sense of touch, researchers believe.

19 Dec 2024

Decoding sleep disorders through fairy tales

Some traditional fairy tales and classic children's fiction that have soothed many a child to sleep may also provide accessible and engaging ways to discuss healthy sleep with children, suggest researchers in the Christmas issue of The BMJ.

18 Dec 2024

Genetic testing improves care for pediatric neurodevelopmental disorders

Adding genetic testing to the evaluation of pediatric patients with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) resulted in more individualized care, including changes in medication, referrals to clinical trials or specialists, and surveillance for potential medical issues, according to a new UCLA Health study.

18 Dec 2024

Genetic shifts in reproductive traits link to aging and health risks

This study explores the genetics of human reproductive traits, revealing links to aging, health outcomes, and longevity while highlighting the role of genetic factors in modern fertility shifts.

17 Dec 2024

Research reveals how the brain processes fundamental learning calculations and social interactions

In a comprehensive Genomic Press Interview, Dr. Munir Gunes Kutlu, Assistant Professor at Temple University's Center for Substance Abuse Research, unveils revolutionary findings about how our brains process fundamental learning calculations and social interactions.

17 Dec 2024

Trump’s picks for top health jobs not just team of rivals but ‘team of opponents’

Many of President-elect Donald Trump's candidates for federal health agencies have promoted policies and goals that put them at odds with one another or with Trump's choice to run the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., setting the stage for internal friction over public health initiatives.

17 Dec 2024

Kessler Foundation scientist receives grant for fall prevention research in older adults

Kiran Karunakaran, PhD, research scientist in the Center for Mobility and Rehabilitation Engineering and director of the Balance Assessment and Training Laboratory at Kessler Foundation, has been awarded a three-year grant for $599,998 from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR).

16 Dec 2024

Black caregivers express concerns over police interactions with autistic children

Law enforcement provides critical community services, yet Black autistic youth often face elevated risk of negative outcomes during police interactions.

16 Dec 2024

Study uncovers brain mechanism behind empathetic responses

A specific brain mechanism modulates how animals respond empathetically to others' emotions. This is the latest finding from the research unit Genetics of Cognition, led by Francesco Papaleo, Principal Investigator at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT - Italian Institute of Technology) and affiliated with IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino in Genova.

12 Dec 2024

Eye-tracking study identifies unique face processing in autism

University of Houston psychology researcher Jason Griffin, who has pioneered new ways of measuring eye movements to understand autism spectrum disorder, is reporting that children with autism focus on faces differently than other children, especially in the early stages of visual processing.

9 Dec 2024

Study: Brain volume changes correlate with social behavior differences in psychiatric conditions

A study published in Molecular Psychiatry found that brain volume changes correlate with social behavior differences in psychiatric conditions such as autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia.

6 Dec 2024

How measles, whooping cough, and worse could roar back on RFK Jr.’s watch

The availability of safe, effective covid vaccines less than a year into the pandemic marked a high point in the 300-year history of vaccination, seemingly heralding an age of protection against infectious diseases.

6 Dec 2024

Scientists identify molecular mechanism behind idiopathic autism

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in communication and social behavior. Approximately 20% of cases are linked to a specific genetic mutation, but the origin of the remaining 80%, known as idiopathic autism, remains a mystery.

4 Dec 2024

SRF awards $230,000 grant to advance research on SYNGAP1-Related Disorders

The SynGAP Research Fund (SRF) has awarded a $230,000 grant to The Jackson Laboratory Rare Disease Translational Center to characterize a mouse model for SYNGAP1-Related Disorders, (SRD), a severe neurodevelopmental disorder marked by seizures, intellectual disabilities, and motor and behavioral challenges.

4 Dec 2024

New insights into anti-seizure medications during pregnancy

Two common antiseizure medications, lamotrigine and levetiracetam, are safe to use during pregnancy, according to a Stanford Medicine-led study.

3 Dec 2024

New model can explain neural and behavioral differences in autism spectrum disorder

Researchers Dr. Yuval Hart and Oded Wertheimer from the Psychology department and the Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Science (ELSC) at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem have developed a new computational model to explain neural and behavioral differences in autism spectrum disorder.

28 Nov 2024

Dopamine and serotonin balance reward learning in opposing ways

If you've heard of two of the brain's chemical neurotransmitters, it's probably dopamine and serotonin. Never mind that glutamate and GABA do most of the work - it's the thrill of dopamine as the "pleasure chemical" and serotonin as tender mood-stabilizer that attract all the headlines.

25 Nov 2024

Robust measures developed to study how social determinants influence spinal cord injury outcomes

Kessler Foundation researchers have developed robust measures of neighborhood economic factors to study how social determinants influence health outcomes after spinal cord injury (SCI).

25 Nov 2024

Autism News and Research

Latest Autism News and Research

Improved diagnostic tools and early intervention crucial for autism’s global health burden

Study uncovers a previously unknown genetic link to autism spectrum disorder

Brain's dual role in processing touch and hearing revealed

Decoding sleep disorders through fairy tales

Genetic testing improves care for pediatric neurodevelopmental disorders

Genetic shifts in reproductive traits link to aging and health risks

Research reveals how the brain processes fundamental learning calculations and social interactions

Trump’s picks for top health jobs not just team of rivals but ‘team of opponents’

Kessler Foundation scientist receives grant for fall prevention research in older adults

Black caregivers express concerns over police interactions with autistic children

Study uncovers brain mechanism behind empathetic responses

Eye-tracking study identifies unique face processing in autism

Study: Brain volume changes correlate with social behavior differences in psychiatric conditions

How measles, whooping cough, and worse could roar back on RFK Jr.’s watch

Scientists identify molecular mechanism behind idiopathic autism

SRF awards $230,000 grant to advance research on SYNGAP1-Related Disorders

New insights into anti-seizure medications during pregnancy

New model can explain neural and behavioral differences in autism spectrum disorder

Dopamine and serotonin balance reward learning in opposing ways

Robust measures developed to study how social determinants influence spinal cord injury outcomes

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Autism News and Research

Latest Autism News and Research

CellVoyant's AI-Powered Vision for the Future of Cell Therapy

Scalable, Smart, and Accessible: The Future of Lab Automation

Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures: A Conversation with WHO’s Dr. Allotey

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