Autism News and Research

Latest Autism News and Research

A data-rich atlas of the developing human brain

For the nascent brain of a human embryo to develop into the complex organ that controls human consciousness, a finely tuned sequence of genetic events has to take place; hundreds of genes are activated and deactivated in a precise symphony.

30 Jun 2020

Glitches in DNA replication have important implications for treating cancer

USC researchers peering deep inside a living cell have discovered something surprising: Its system for preventing genetic damage linked to diseases can fail so badly that the cell would be better off without it.

30 Jun 2020

Cell signaling pathway may offer new drugs for tuberous sclerosis complex

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a neurological disorder causing non-cancerous tumors, called cortical tubers, to grow throughout the brain and body, as well as other conditions like epilepsy and autism.

24 Jun 2020

Researchers develop a shorter IQ test for children with special needs

For decades, neuropsychologists have used the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children test as the gold-standard intelligence quotient test to determine the intellectual abilities of children with special needs.

24 Jun 2020

Cannabidiol may reduce behavioral problems in children with intellectual disabilities

Cannabidiol, a type of medicinal cannabis, may reduce severe behavioral problems in children and adolescents with an intellectual disability a new study has found.

24 Jun 2020

Mice study shows how oxytocin can amplify aggression as well as friendliness

During the pandemic lockdown, as couples have been forced to spend days and weeks in one another's company, some have found their love renewed while others are on their way to divorce court.

22 Jun 2020

A metabolomics approach to detect objective biomarkers of ASD

In a paper published online this week in Autism Research, scientists at NeuroPointDX, a division of Stemina Biomarker Discovery, Inc., in collaboration with researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute and academic and clinical institutions across the country, report new findings from the Children's Autism Metabolome Project or CAMP.

18 Jun 2020

New flag on patient records can improve care for people with learning disabilities

Healthcare for people with a learning disability can be improved by a new flag on patient records, a pilot scheme has shown.

18 Jun 2020

Traffic-related air pollution may affect the developing brain

Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have found a link between traffic-related air pollution and an increased risk for changes in brain development relevant to neurodevelopmental disorders.

17 Jun 2020

Early genetic rescue may be a potential therapy in autism spectrum disorder

A mouse study by Craig Powell, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues suggests that early genetic rescue may be a potential therapy in autism spectrum disorder or ASD.

16 Jun 2020

Oxytocin study may help treat a variety of psychiatric conditions

During the pandemic lockdown, as couples have been forced to spend days and weeks in one another's company, some have found their love renewed while others are on their way to divorce court.

16 Jun 2020

Researchers examine how neurons represent the direction of a moving object during self-motion

Our brains use various reference frames--also known as coordinate systems--to represent the motion of objects in a scene.

15 Jun 2020

A teen’s death from COVID

It started as a normal day. Dawn Guest, 54, got up and headed out to her job as a nurse around 5 a.m. She heard her 16-year-old son, Andre, stirring in his room, but he had always been an earlier riser, even when his school was shut for COVID-19.

15 Jun 2020

Inhibitory interneurons cause excitation in the developing brain

Brain function depends on inhibitory cells that balance or 'brake' excitation. These neurons allow the brain to process information and also prevent runaway seizures.

12 Jun 2020

Reports highlights financial challenges facing households of children with ASD

An autism diagnosis can present a number of challenges for families from learning about the neurodevelopment disorder and accessing support services and resources to financial struggles.

10 Jun 2020

Study unravels role of a protein in osteoclast generation

Bone-dissolving cells called osteoclasts are derived from a type of immune cells called macrophages. They are necessary for the maintenance and renewal of bones.

9 Jun 2020

New research expands wearable brain scanner technology for whole head imaging

Scientists from the University of Nottingham developed an initial prototype of a new generation of brain scanner in 2018 which is a lightweight device that can be worn on the head like a hat, and can scan the brain even whilst a patient moves.

5 Jun 2020

Effects of chronic stress associated with increased inflammatory signaling within brain circuits

Anxiety and depression are significantly heightened during times of great stress such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

4 Jun 2020

Exploring how air pollution affects the brain

Air pollution has become a fact of modern life, with a majority of the global population facing chronic exposure.

3 Jun 2020

Mindfulness program can improve attention and decision making skills in children with autism

School-based mindfulness programs can improve decision-making skills and teach children with autism to focus attention and react less impulsively through breathing exercises that will allow them to reduce anxiety, according to Rutgers researchers.

3 Jun 2020