Developmental Disorder News and Research

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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

Identical twins with ASD have large differences in symptom severity

Identical twins with autism spectrum disorder often experience large differences in symptom severity even though they share the same DNA, according to an analysis funded by the National Institutes of Health.

28 Dec 2019

Epigenome editing could repair genetic brain disorder

A new study published in the journal Nature Communications shows that it may be possible to reverse gene mutations that cause brain disorders, using a very precisely targeted epigenome editing technique. This type of gene editing does not change the gene’s DNA sequence itself but is focused on correcting epigenome changes only. The condition that was corrected in the study is called the WAGR syndrome and is associated with obesity and intellectual disability in people.

11 Dec 2019

Acetaminophen exposure in the womb may increase child's risk for ADHD, ASD

Exposure to acetaminophen in the womb may increase a child's risk for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder, suggests a study funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality.

30 Oct 2019

Study finds little evidence on effectiveness of common antidepressant in autism spectrum disorders

A new study has found there is little evidence that a widely used antidepressant is effective at reducing obsessive compulsive behaviours in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders.

23 Oct 2019

Jumping genes can contribute to rare childhood developmental disorders

The largest study of its kind into childhood developmental disorders has discovered that jumping genes cause genetic changes in some patients with undiagnosed neurodevelopmental diseases.

11 Oct 2019

Gene mutation in the brain of autism patients alters behaviors in mice

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has a wide range of possible causes, including genetics and environmental factors. Now, a new study suggests that a brain protein mutation may shed light on the mechanism of neurological and developmental illness.

23 Jul 2019

Problem behaviors may provide clues on gastrointestinal issues in children with autism

For years, researchers have documented both gastrointestinal issues and problematic behaviors, such as aggression, in many children with autism spectrum disorder.

28 Jun 2019

Study focuses on the recurrence of developmental disorder in future pregnancies

Having a child with a developmental disorder can cause parents to worry about the outcome of further pregnancies.

17 Jun 2019

CoGEN Congress 2019: Speakers' overviews

Update on the use of exome sequencing for the diagnosis of fetal abnormalities

2 May 2019

Brain response to mom's voice found to be greatly diminished in children with autism

For most children, the sound of their mother's voice triggers brain activity patterns distinct from those triggered by an unfamiliar voice. But the unique brain response to mom's voice is greatly diminished in children with autism, according to a new study from the Stanford University School of Medicine.

26 Feb 2019

Fundamental technology to support early differential diagnosis of concurrent ASD in patients with ADHD

Hitachi, Ltd., Jichi Medical University, International University of Health and Welfare and Chuo University have developed fundamental technology to support the early differential diagnosis of concurrent autism spectrum disorder in patients with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

13 Feb 2019

Medical cannabis relieves ASD symptoms in children

In a new study of patients with autism who are 18 years old and under, researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Soroka University Medical Center report that cannabis as a treatment for autism spectrum disorders appears to be a well-tolerated, safe and effective option to relieve symptoms including seizures, tics, depression, restlessness, and rage attacks.

31 Jan 2019

UCLA-led scientists discover new clues to what goes wrong in the brains of people with autism

A team of UCLA-led scientists has discovered important clues to what goes wrong in the brains of people with autism -- a developmental disorder with no cure and for which scientists have no deep understanding of what causes it.

31 Jan 2019

PAC1R mutation in children with autism may be linked to severity of social problems

A mutation of the gene PAC1R may be linked to the severity of social deficits experienced by kids with autism spectrum disorder, finds a study from a multi-institutional research team led by Children's faculty.

8 Jan 2019

Salk researchers reveal clues into early development of ASD

Autism spectrum disorder is a relatively common developmental disorder of communication and behavior that affects about 1 in 59 children in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite its prevalence, it is still unclear what causes the disease and what are the best ways to treat it.

7 Jan 2019

Researchers find unique patterns of neural communication in the brains of children with autism

Think of the brain as a complex transportation hub, a place where neural traffic heads off in any number of directions to make connections while processing something as simple as a mother's smile.

26 Oct 2018

Growth of early brain circuits may help predict child's intelligence and emotional health

Growth rates of brain circuits in infancy may help experts predict what a child's intelligence and emotional health could be when the child turns 4, a new study has found.

10 Oct 2018

Neurons in the human brain can encode numerical information

How do we know if we're looking at three apples or four? Researchers at the Universities of Bonn and Tübingen are now one step closer to answering this question.

20 Sep 2018

Individual behavioral treatment and support for parents is best for preschool children with ADHD

A major research project from Aarhus University and the Centre for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Risskov, in collaboration with the University of Copenhagen, University of Nottingham, UK and Kings College London is published August 1th in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

1 Aug 2018