Autism News and Research

Latest Autism News and Research

Researchers examine abnormal neuron activity in Rett syndrome

The brain undergoes dramatic change during the first years of life. Its circuits readily rewire as an infant and then child encounters new sights and sounds, taking in the world and learning to understand it. As the child matures and key developmental periods pass, the brain becomes less malleable--but certain experiences create opportunities for parts of the adult brain to rewire and learn again.

29 Jan 2020

Link between autism and poor cognition

Autistic people are often brilliant, but they may also have poor cognitive skills. The relationship between autism and either condition, inside the brain, has been far from clear. However, now a new study shows that poor cognition in autism could be due to the influence of a small gene fragment.

29 Jan 2020

AI could help improve educational and clinical decisions

Could artificial intelligence improve educational and clinical decisions made by your child's teacher, or your mental health professional or even your medical doctor? Yes, indeed, says a study by an UdeM psychoeducator and behavior analyst published in Perspectives on Behavior Science.

27 Jan 2020

Autism diagnosis test is less reliable than previously assumed, study finds

Rutgers researchers have found that a test widely used to diagnose whether children have autism is less reliable than previously assumed.

27 Jan 2020

Prescription drug bumetanide could help treat autism

A new drug called bumetanide, which is used to treat edema, shows promise in treating some symptoms of autism in young children, while not showing significant adverse effects. The study was published in January 2020 in the journal Translational Psychiatry.

26 Jan 2020

Horseback riding along with brain-building tasks can benefit children with neurodevelopmental disorders

Therapeutic horseback riding combined with brain-building exercises can improve the dexterity, coordination and strength of children with neurodevelopmental disorders, shows a study in Frontiers in Veterinary Science.

24 Jan 2020

UC Davis MIND Institute provides care for those born with fragile X syndrome disorder

Fragile X syndrome is a debilitating genetic neurodevelopmental disorder that affects people worldwide, but many doctors don't know anything about it, let alone have the resources to properly diagnose or treat it.

24 Jan 2020

Healing and hope for families affected by fragile X in Eastern Europe

Mothers and fathers and their young children crowded into an old, government-run children's hospital in Belgrade, Serbia, colorful, cartoonish drawings covering its hallway walls. Parents struggled to soothe their anxious, wriggly boys and girls. But they were patient, polite. It was, after all, a day unlike any other. A day for hope.

23 Jan 2020

Landmark study identifies 102 genes associated with autism risk

In the largest genetic sequencing study of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to date, researchers have identified 102 genes associated with risk for autism. The study also shows significant progress towards teasing apart the genes associated with ASD from those associated with intellectual disability and developmental delay, conditions which often overlap.

23 Jan 2020

Researcher wins $2.5 million grant to study why therapeutic horseback riding benefits autistic children

After showing that a 10-week therapeutic horseback riding intervention reduced irritability and hyperactivity while improving the social communication skills of youth diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus researcher and Children's Hospital Colorado psychologist, Dr. Robin Gabriels, has received a $2.5 million grant to investigate why the therapy works.

22 Jan 2020

Study: Psychiatric challenges in young girls with autism are linked to larger amygdala

Preschool-age girls with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face greater challenges with emotional and behavioral problems than similar age boys with ASD.

22 Jan 2020

Gut microbiome linked to behavioral problems in children

Children with behavioral problems may have different compositions in their gut microbiome, with parents playing a major role in how pronounced the differences were, other than the food they provide, a new study suggests.

21 Jan 2020

Texas program effectively reduces use of anti-psychotics in foster children

Rutgers researchers have found that a Texas strategy to reduce anti-psychotic medication for children can serve as a model for other state Medicaid programs.

21 Jan 2020

Survey finds US adults see vaccines as less important than they did in 2001

A new survey reveals that US parents are increasingly opting to not vaccinate their children, with support for vaccines down 10% since 2001 and the concern that they may cause autism, still being a major factor preventing adults from trusting vaccinations.

15 Jan 2020

Flame retardants and pesticides responsible for intellectual disabilities among millions

A few decades back one of the commonest environmental causes of intellectual disabilities among babies was exposure to lead and mercury. A new study reveals that while exposure to these heavy metals is on the decline, there is risk of other toxic chemicals. Researchers have found that chemicals present in pesticides and flame retardants could be causing over a million cases of intellectual disabilities among babies between 2001 and 2016.

14 Jan 2020

Autistic mothers experience higher rates of post-natal depression

Autistic mothers are more likely to report post-natal depression compared to non-autistic mothers, according to a new study of mothers of autistic children carried out by researchers at the University of Cambridge.

13 Jan 2020

Prenatal exposure to flame retardants may increase risk of reading problems

A new study from researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons suggests that prenatal exposure to flame retardants may increase the risk of reading problems.

12 Jan 2020

Scientists create 3D images of unique RNA molecule critical for stem cell programming

Scientists at Los Alamos and international partners have created the first 3-D images of a special type of RNA molecule that is critical for stem cell programming and known as the "dark matter" of the genome.

10 Jan 2020

Study shows how baby and adult brains interact during natural play

Have you ever played with a baby and felt a sense of connection, even though they couldn't yet talk to you? New research suggests that you might quite literally be "on the same wavelength," experiencing similar brain activity in the same brain regions.

9 Jan 2020

One-fourth of children with autism miss diagnosis, study finds

One-fourth of children under age 8 with autism spectrum disorder -; most of them black or Hispanic -; are not being diagnosed, which is critical for improving quality of life.

9 Jan 2020