Autism News and Research

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Autism (sometimes called “classical autism”) is the most common condition in a group of developmental disorders known as the autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Autism is characterized by impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and unusual, repetitive, or severely limited activities and interests. Other ASDs include Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (usually referred to as PDD-NOS). Experts estimate that three to six children out of every 1,000 will have autism. Males are four times more likely to have autism than females.

Researchers confirm link between neonatal vitamin D deficiency and schizophrenia

Newborns with vitamin D deficiency have an increased risk of schizophrenia later in life, a team of Australian and Danish researchers has reported.

7 Dec 2018

Newborns with vitamin D deficiency have increased risk of schizophrenia later in life

Newborns with Vitamin D deficiency have an increased risk of schizophrenia later in life, researchers from Aarhus University and the University of Queensland report.

6 Dec 2018

Mapping brain microglia

Microglia are known to be important to brain function. The immune cells have been found to protect the brain from injury and infection and are critical during brain development, helping circuits wire properly. They also seem to play a role in disease -- showing up, for example, around brain plaques in people with Alzheimer's.

6 Dec 2018

Study shows correlation between childhood infections and increased risk of mental disorders

A new study from iPSYCH shows that the infections children contract during their childhood increase the risk of mental disorders during childhood and adolescence. This knowledge expands our understanding of the role of the immune system in the development of mental disorders.

6 Dec 2018

Researcher takes further steps in understanding how and why cute aggression occurs

Have you ever looked at a puppy and had the urge to squeeze or even bite it? Or felt compelled to pinch a baby's cheeks, albeit without a desire to harm it? If you answered yes to either question, you've experienced a phenomenon called cute aggression -- and you're far from alone.

5 Dec 2018

Cedars-Sinai research identifies neurons that play role in how people recognize errors

New research from Cedars-Sinai has identified neurons that play a role in how people recognize errors they make, a discovery that may have implications for the treatment of conditions including obsessive-compulsive disorder and schizophrenia.

5 Dec 2018

Brown researchers awarded $12 million NIH grant renewal to explore fundamentals of brain function

Brown University's Center for Central Nervous System Function, part of the Carney Institute for Brain Science, has been awarded a $12 million grant renewal from the National Institutes of Health's Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence program.

3 Dec 2018

Study estimates economic impact of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is a common condition with a high economic impact in both children and adults, concludes an updated review in the Journal of Addiction Medicine, the official journal of the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

29 Nov 2018

Study reveals why mitochondria are often strangely shaped inside the brain

Columbia neuroscientists have discovered why mitochondria, tiny power generators that keep our cells healthy, are often strangely shaped inside the brain.

28 Nov 2018

Gene-brain association occurs differently in toddlers with autism and poor language development

An international team of scientists, led by researchers at the University of Cyprus and University of California San Diego School of Medicine, have identified a previously unknown, large-scale association between molecular gene expression activity in blood leukocyte cells and altered neural responses to speech in toddlers with autism as measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

27 Nov 2018

Discovery would help specify role of genetics in the development of neuropsychiatric disorders

Neurobiologists from I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University confirmed that stress in early age affects the mice with activated and deactivated CDH13 gene in different ways.

27 Nov 2018

Robots could help improve social skills of children with ASD

An emotionally intelligent, partially autonomous social robot could help children with autism spectrum disorder improve their social skills, according to EU-funded researchers who have been developing the next generation of robot-enhanced therapy.

26 Nov 2018

Genetic risk score for autism linked with outcomes of psychological treatment

Depression is a common disorder for which cognitive behavioral therapy is the recommended treatment for most patients.

26 Nov 2018

Prebiotic supplement may be effective alternative to reduce GI disturbances in autistic children

Diets free from gluten and casein are often recommended as a way to reduce gastrointestinal (GI) problems in children with autistic spectrum disorders.

22 Nov 2018

Genetic therapy may help children with Angelman syndrome to overcome seizures

Angelman syndrome is a genetic disease with no cure. Children grow up with severe intellectual disabilities and a range of other problems, arguably the worst of which are epileptic seizures. Now scientists at the UNC School of Medicine have found evidence that genetic therapy may prevent the enhanced seizure susceptibility.

21 Nov 2018

Cardiff University collaborates with Takeda to identify new treatment approaches for psychiatric disorders

Cardiff University has formed a drug discovery collaboration with Takeda to identify new approaches for treating schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders.

From Takeda 19 Nov 2018

Autism linked to prolonged connection between brain regions

Researchers have discovered that the symptoms seen in autism may be linked to how regions of the brain communicate.

16 Nov 2018

Artificial intelligence could be valuable tool to help young victims disclose traumatic testimony

When children are victims of crimes, the legal testimony they provide is known as forensic interviews. However, since victims are often traumatized and potentially abused by their caregivers they can be reluctant to come forward with accusations or disclose relevant information.

16 Nov 2018

Abnormalities in development of the brain could be involved in onset of autism, finds new study

Autism spectrum disorders are neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by communication disorders, altered social interactions and sensory and behavioral abnormalities. Research in genetics and brain imaging suggests that abnormalities in the development of the brain concerning, in particular, the formation of neural networks and the functioning of synapses could be involved in the onset of ASD.

15 Nov 2018

Researchers directly connect activities of genes with instinctive behavior in male cichlids

Call it instinct, but something compels some animals to behave in certain ways, perhaps programs in their genes. Researchers have directly connected activities of genes with instinctive behavior in little male fish that make patterns in the sand to attract their mates.

15 Nov 2018

Autism News and Research

Further Reading

Researchers confirm link between neonatal vitamin D deficiency and schizophrenia

Newborns with vitamin D deficiency have increased risk of schizophrenia later in life

Mapping brain microglia

Study shows correlation between childhood infections and increased risk of mental disorders

Researcher takes further steps in understanding how and why cute aggression occurs

Cedars-Sinai research identifies neurons that play role in how people recognize errors

Brown researchers awarded $12 million NIH grant renewal to explore fundamentals of brain function

Study estimates economic impact of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

Study reveals why mitochondria are often strangely shaped inside the brain

Gene-brain association occurs differently in toddlers with autism and poor language development

Discovery would help specify role of genetics in the development of neuropsychiatric disorders

Robots could help improve social skills of children with ASD

Genetic risk score for autism linked with outcomes of psychological treatment

Prebiotic supplement may be effective alternative to reduce GI disturbances in autistic children

Genetic therapy may help children with Angelman syndrome to overcome seizures

Cardiff University collaborates with Takeda to identify new treatment approaches for psychiatric disorders

Autism linked to prolonged connection between brain regions

Artificial intelligence could be valuable tool to help young victims disclose traumatic testimony

Abnormalities in development of the brain could be involved in onset of autism, finds new study

Researchers directly connect activities of genes with instinctive behavior in male cichlids

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