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.

Early screen exposure associated with elevated sleep disruption, EBD in children with NDDs

Digital media have become an integral part of lifestyles in recent years, and the ubiquity of digital devices coupled with poor screen use habits can have a detrimental effect on the developmental and psychosocial well-being of children.

13 Nov 2019

Resistant schizophrenia associated with low IQ and family history

According to a new study published on November 12, 2019, in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, individuals with schizophrenia resistant to treatment are more likely to have a family history and a lower IQ compared to other schizophrenic patients. This finding could help design more effective therapies for this subgroup of patients, as for instance, drugs that improve mental processes.

12 Nov 2019

Findings could lead to potential new therapies for tumor-causing disorder

University of Cincinnati researchers have found additional ways to target the molecular processes involved in activating a certain protein complex to potentially develop new therapies for a tumor-causing disorder.

11 Nov 2019

Researchers determine ways to assess social communication difficulties in children with TBI

Kessler Foundation researchers conducted a pilot study to determine ways to assess social communication difficulties in children with impaired social functioning caused by moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury.

8 Nov 2019

Early sound exposure can help treat hypersensitivity to noise associated with FXS

A research team at the University of California, Riverside, has found exposure to sound -- not sound reduction -- during early development of mice engineered to have Fragile X Syndrome, or FXS, restores molecular, cellular, and functional properties in the auditory cortex, the area of the brain that processes sounds.

6 Nov 2019

Health impact of Daylight Saving Time

Every year people make a change in their daily timetables to make use of what is called “Daylight Saving Time” (DST), and then transition back again to their earlier time clocks. However, new research published in JAMA Neurology shows that this yearly change about may affect health over the long term. The researchers strongly call for stopping this practice, which has no economic benefit, and may have severe and chronic negative health impacts.

5 Nov 2019

IBR receives $1.95 million NIH grant for research on rare diseases

The New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities' Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities has received a $1.95 million grant, for a five-year period, from the National Institute of Health's National Institute of General Medical Sciences to support IBR physician-scientist Gholson Lyon, MD, PhD, in his research on rare diseases.

5 Nov 2019

Ocean Medical Center receives major grant to support children with multiple health issues

Hackensack Meridian Health Ocean Medical Center Foundation has been awarded a Major Grant in the amount of $10,000 from The Provident Bank Foundation to help improve the care and support provided to children and young adults with autism.

5 Nov 2019

Genes linked to autism spectrum disorder may play role in eye movements

Researchers studying zebrafish have found that genes linked to autism spectrum disorder and other developmental brain abnormalities may be playing a role in people who cannot control their eye movements.

4 Nov 2019

Study shows how stories in memory perpetuate the continued influence of misinformation

In today's fast-paced digital age, information can become outdated rapidly and people must constantly update their memories. But changing our previous understanding of the news we hear or the products we use isn't always easy, even when holding onto falsities can have serious consequences.

4 Nov 2019

Study uncovers cause for spatial-memory deficits in people with Down syndrome

Professor Juan Lerma's group, from the UMH-CSIC Institute of Neurosciences, in Alicante, has identified the gene called GRIK1, fundamental in the balance between excitation and inhibition in the brain, as one of the causes for people with Down syndrome having spatial orientation problems.

1 Nov 2019

Opioid misuse greatly increases chance of major depressive episode among teen girls

New research by Keith Chan of UAlbany's School of Social Welfare shows that among girls ages 12-17, the misuse of opioids greatly increases the chance of having a major depressive episode. Prescription opioids may include oxycodone, hydrocodone and fentanyl.

1 Nov 2019

Cerebrospinal fluid washes through the brain in rhythmic waves during sleep

New research from Boston University suggests that tonight while you sleep, something amazing will happen within your brain. Your neurons will go quiet. A few seconds later, blood will flow out of your head.

31 Oct 2019

Study finds altered brain asymmetry in autism spectrum disorder

The left and right halves of our brains develop differently, as each hemisphere 'specialises' in certain functions. For example, for most people the left hemisphere--controlling the right hand--is dominant for language.

31 Oct 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 shows how infections during pregnancy are linked to psychiatric disorders

The mother's health is very important for the fetus's brain development during pregnancy. Many factors play key roles for healthy brain development, including nutrition, stress, hormonal balance and the mother's immune system.

30 Oct 2019

Newly discovered immune control switch could protect the brains of premature babies

Researchers have discovered an immune control switch that could protect the brains of premature babies, who often suffer brain injuries when their immune response goes into overdrive.

30 Oct 2019

Measuring gaze patterns of children watching movies can help detect autism

Measuring children's gaze patterns as they watch movies of social interactions is a reliable way to accurately identify nearly half of autism spectrum disorder cases, according to a new study just published in Autism Research by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev researchers.

29 Oct 2019

NSU study points to another potential connection between sleep and overall good health

As if you didn't already have enough to worry about to keep you up at night, a new study indicates that poor sleep can negatively affect your gut microbiome, which can, in turn, lead to additional health issues.

29 Oct 2019

Socially housed and isolated mice may be poor research models for humans

Animal models can serve as gateways for understanding many human communication disorders. Insights into the genetic paths possibly responsible for conditions such as autism and schizophrenia often begin by studying acoustic behavior in mice.

25 Oct 2019

Autism News and Research

Further Reading

Early screen exposure associated with elevated sleep disruption, EBD in children with NDDs

Resistant schizophrenia associated with low IQ and family history

Findings could lead to potential new therapies for tumor-causing disorder

Researchers determine ways to assess social communication difficulties in children with TBI

Early sound exposure can help treat hypersensitivity to noise associated with FXS

Health impact of Daylight Saving Time

IBR receives $1.95 million NIH grant for research on rare diseases

Ocean Medical Center receives major grant to support children with multiple health issues

Genes linked to autism spectrum disorder may play role in eye movements

Study shows how stories in memory perpetuate the continued influence of misinformation

Study uncovers cause for spatial-memory deficits in people with Down syndrome

Opioid misuse greatly increases chance of major depressive episode among teen girls

Cerebrospinal fluid washes through the brain in rhythmic waves during sleep

Study finds altered brain asymmetry in autism spectrum disorder

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

Study shows how infections during pregnancy are linked to psychiatric disorders

Newly discovered immune control switch could protect the brains of premature babies

Measuring gaze patterns of children watching movies can help detect autism

NSU study points to another potential connection between sleep and overall good health

Socially housed and isolated mice may be poor research models for humans

The Link Between Animal Behavior and Neuroscience

Benchtop Laboratory Equipment in the Life Science Market

Understanding Monoclonal Antibody Unfolding and Aggregation

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