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.

Pitt engineers win $550,000 NSF CAREER award to develop new intervention for people with ASD

Autism was first described by U.S. researchers more than 70 years ago, and today the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 59 children are identified with autism spectrum disorder, affecting more than 3.5 million Americans.

22 Mar 2019

Allergic reaction during pregnancy may alter sexual-development in offspring's brain

A single allergic reaction during pregnancy prompts sexual-development changes in the brains of offspring that last a lifetime, new research suggests.

22 Mar 2019

Study: Around one in hundred people has autism spectrum condition in China

The first large-scale study of autism in China has revealed that around one in a hundred people in the country has an autism spectrum condition - the same figure as found in the West.

21 Mar 2019

Scientists grow most sophisticated brain organoid to date

Researchers at Cambridge Biomedical Campus have grown the most sophisticated brain organoid to date, providing new opportunities for scientists to understand human brain development and neurological disorders.

20 Mar 2019

Does it make sense to delay children’s vaccines?

When Elyse Imamura's son was an infant, she and her husband, Robert, chose to spread out his vaccinations at a more gradual pace than the official schedule recommended.

20 Mar 2019

Enzyme inhibitor stops inflammation and neurodevelopmental disorders in mouse models

Work published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that an enzyme inhibitor developed by Professor Bruce Hammock and colleagues at UC Davis reduced inflammation in the brains of mice born to mothers with maternal immune activation.

20 Mar 2019

Miniature brains that can move muscles, grown in the lab

Researchers have successfully created miniature organoid brains in the labs that when attached to a spinal cord and muscles could help move the muscles.

19 Mar 2019

Researchers use MRI and AI techniques at birth to predict cognitive development at age 2

Researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine used MRI brain scans and machine learning techniques at birth to predict cognitive development at age 2 years with 95 percent accuracy.

15 Mar 2019

Wearable tracking device achieves higher accuracy in position tracking using thermal sensors

In a new study published in npj Digital Medicine, a team led by Child Mind Institute researchers report that a wearable tracking device they developed achieves higher accuracy in position tracking using thermal sensors in addition to inertial measurement and proximity sensors.

15 Mar 2019

Students with disabilities call college admissions cheating ‘big slap in the face’

For Savannah Treviño-Casias, this week's news about the college admissions cheating scandal was galling, considering how much red tape the Arizona State University senior went through to get disability accommodations when she took the SAT.

14 Mar 2019

Italy bans unvaccinated children from school amid measles outbreak

Italian parents who have not had their children vaccinated could soon either have to pay hefty fines or see their children banned from school.

13 Mar 2019

Using robots in autism therapy for children

Autistic children lack essential social and communication skills, and the type and severity of the symptoms experienced are wide-ranging. Because they have such diverse ways of expressing their emotions, it is difficult for therapists to gauge how engaged they are with the therapy.

13 Mar 2019

Vast majority of children with autism have difficulties that require therapeutic, educational support

Research in the past several years has shown that children can outgrow a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, once considered a lifelong condition.

12 Mar 2019

New Zealand faces dangerous measles outbreak with 25 confirmed cases

New Zealand is facing a serious outbreak of measles with 25 confirmed cases. A nationwide alert has been sounded and vaccines against the viral disease are being sent to the affected areas.

12 Mar 2019

Experts issue new guidelines for use of genetic testing in psychiatric care

An expert committee of psychiatrists and geneticists has issued revised guidelines for the use of genetic testing in psychiatric care.

12 Mar 2019

UNH study finds how gender-biased protein may play role in autism

Researchers at the University of New Hampshire are one step closer to helping answer the question of why autism is four times more common in boys than in girls after identifying and characterizing the connection of certain proteins in the brain to autism spectrum disorders.

12 Mar 2019

Pittcon to raise autism awareness during 2019 conference

Pittcon, the premier annual conference and exposition on laboratory science being held in Philadelphia, PA March 17-21 2019, is proud to announce its autism awareness efforts during this year’s conference.

From Pittcon 8 Mar 2019

Mother's treatment for infection during pregnancy increases child's risk for autism and depression

Risks for autism and depression are higher if one's mother was in hospital with an infection during pregnancy. This is shown by a major Swedish observational study of nearly 1.8 million children.

8 Mar 2019

Specific brain activity patterns in people with autism may be used as therapeutic biomarkers

Researchers from Jülich, Switzerland, France, the Netherlands, and the UK have discovered specific activity patterns in the brains of people with autism.

7 Mar 2019

Large study finds no connection between MMR vaccine and autism

Finally the verdict is out. A large study has proven conclusively that there is no association between Measles Mumps and Rubella combined vaccine or the MMR vaccine and autism. The results of the landmark study were published in the latest issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

6 Mar 2019

Autism News and Research

Further Reading

Pitt engineers win $550,000 NSF CAREER award to develop new intervention for people with ASD

Allergic reaction during pregnancy may alter sexual-development in offspring's brain

Study: Around one in hundred people has autism spectrum condition in China

Scientists grow most sophisticated brain organoid to date

Does it make sense to delay children’s vaccines?

Enzyme inhibitor stops inflammation and neurodevelopmental disorders in mouse models

Miniature brains that can move muscles, grown in the lab

Researchers use MRI and AI techniques at birth to predict cognitive development at age 2

Wearable tracking device achieves higher accuracy in position tracking using thermal sensors

Students with disabilities call college admissions cheating ‘big slap in the face’

Italy bans unvaccinated children from school amid measles outbreak

Using robots in autism therapy for children

Vast majority of children with autism have difficulties that require therapeutic, educational support

New Zealand faces dangerous measles outbreak with 25 confirmed cases

Experts issue new guidelines for use of genetic testing in psychiatric care

UNH study finds how gender-biased protein may play role in autism

Pittcon to raise autism awareness during 2019 conference

Mother's treatment for infection during pregnancy increases child's risk for autism and depression

Specific brain activity patterns in people with autism may be used as therapeutic biomarkers

Large study finds no connection between MMR vaccine and autism

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