Autism News and Research

Latest Autism News and Research

Smart Cells releases first sample of cord blood to treat autism and parents' guide to ASD

Private cord blood company, Smart Cells, has released their 20th sample of stem cells collected from cord blood and tissue to a patient to treat autism. This is the company’s first sample to be released and infused for the condition. This release closely coincides with World Autism Awareness Day on the 2nd April, for which Smart Cells have released a simple informational guide on autism for parents.

3 Apr 2018

Study reveals how interneurons emerge and diversify in the brain

Modern neuroscience, for all its complexity, can trace its roots directly to a series of pen-and-paper sketches rendered by Nobel laureate Santiago Ramón y Cajal in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

31 Mar 2018

Monkeys' brain synchrony influenced by proximity and social status, research suggests

Though their purpose and function are still largely unknown, mirror neurons in the brain are believed by some neuroscientists to be central to how humans relate to each other. Deficiencies in mirror neurons might also play a role in autism and other disorders affecting social skills.

30 Mar 2018

Children with ADHD and autism are more likely to develop anxiety

A recent study has found that children diagnosed with ADHD and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more likely to develop mood disorders and anxiety.

30 Mar 2018

Children with autism and ADHD at increased risk for anxiety, mood disorders

Children with both autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at increased risk for being diagnosed with or treated for anxiety and mood disorders, according to a study published in Pediatrics today.

30 Mar 2018

Scientists discover abnormal brain networks in children with autism

A new study has shown that pre-school children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have abnormal connections between certain brain networks.

27 Mar 2018

Praising people with autism shows promise for producing more exercise

Simple statements of praise may have a big effect on the amount of exercise young adults with autism complete, according to preliminary research from the UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute.

21 Mar 2018

Columbia researchers identify nerve cells that drive fruit fly's escape behavior

Columbia University researchers have identified the nerve cells that initiate a fly's escape response: that complex series of movements in which an animal senses, and quickly maneuvers away from, something harmful such as high heat.

20 Mar 2018

New study identifies key role for particular gene in 16p11.2 deletion syndrome

In a new study of one of the most common genetic causes of autism, neuroscientists at MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory have identified a specific molecular mechanism that appears to undermine the ability of neurons in affected mice to properly incorporate changes driven by experience.

20 Mar 2018

Mother’s pre-pregnancy waist size may be linked to child's autism risk

A new study finds children born to mothers who had a larger waist size before pregnancy may be more likely to have autism than those whose mothers had a smaller pre-pregnancy waist.

20 Mar 2018

Misconceptions about MMR vaccine found to influence usage of Zika vaccine

People's willingness to use a Zika vaccine when it's available will be influenced by how they weigh the risks associated with the disease and the vaccine, but also by their misconceptions about other vaccines, a new study has found.

15 Mar 2018

Songbirds provide insight into how specific neurons may guide vocal learning in humans

Songbirds are providing insight into how a specific set of neurons may guide the learning of vocal behaviors in humans.

15 Mar 2018

Transplanting enhanced interneurons restores brain rhythms in mouse model of Alzheimer’s

Like a great orchestra, your brain relies on the perfect coordination of many elements to function properly. And if one of those elements is out of sync, it affects the entire ensemble. In Alzheimer's disease, for instance, damage to specific neurons can alter brainwave rhythms and cause a loss of cognitive functions.

15 Mar 2018

UH researchers improve understanding of autism spectrum disorders

Two University of Houston scientists are reporting that defects in a portion of the brain's hippocampus, called the dentate gyrus, is regulated by the nuclear receptor LXRβ (Liver X receptor Beta). The dentate gyrus, or DG, is responsible for emotion and memory and is known to be involved in autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

15 Mar 2018

School, body-image pressure, and worries affect young girls' mental health

More and more young girls seek help for mental problems. "Generally, girls take things more seriously than boys. This applies to school, friends, and family," says researcher Anders Bakken.

14 Mar 2018

Researchers identify B immune cells that promote axon myelination in developing neurons

Neurons are specialized cells of the nervous system that communicate using electrical signals, which propagate down long, wire-like projections called axons. The conduction of these signals requires myelin, a fatty substance that surrounds axons in much the same way that plastic coating surrounds an electrical wire.

13 Mar 2018

Moderate facebook use linked to happiness among adults with ASD

Among adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a new study has shown that those who use Facebook, in moderation, are happier than those who do not.

13 Mar 2018

We may be genetically wired to be empathic finds study

According to a new study, the level of empathy we display may not be a result of our experiences and upbringing alone but also genetic. Researchers from Cambridge studied and made this novel discovery that appeared in the latest issue of the journal Translational Psychiatry.

12 Mar 2018

Researchers report genomic sequencing of 250,000 developmental cells

Researchers from the global Human Cell Atlas Consortium report that they have sequenced a quarter of a million separate cells that are of importance for early development of organs such as the liver, skin and kidneys. Sten Linnarsson at Karolinska Institutet is participating in the project.

9 Mar 2018

How Medicaid became a go-to funder for schools

Gerardo Alejandrez used to punch classmates, throw chairs and curse at his teachers, conduct that forced him to switch from school to school. "I had a lot of anger issues," the 16-year-old said recently.

9 Mar 2018