Autism

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.

What is Autism?

Autism is not a single disease entity. It is part of a range of developmental disorders known as autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). They begin in childhood and last through adulthood.

What is Autistic Burnout?

Autism Causes

Autism Mechanism

Autism Classification

Autism Screening

Autism Prognosis

Gut Bacteria and Autism Development

Detecting Autism Early

Autism Management

Autism History

Autism Related Conditions

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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Autism

The Reward System and Autism

Autism and Junk DNA

Autism and Sleep Problems

Picky Eating and Autism: Tips & Advice

Travelling with a Child Who Has Autism

Moving House with Autism: Reducing Stress & Anxiety

Autism Spectrum Disorder & Allergies

Autism and Particulate Air Matter

Are Apraxia and Autism Related?

Evidence for Autism being a Genetic Condition

Autoantibodies and Autism

What is Sensory Overload?

Latest Autism News and Research

Scientists discover gut microbiome differences in children with autism

Researchers found differences in gut bacteria between children with autism and typically developing children but caution that more research is needed to clarify these associations and their therapeutic potential.

20 Oct 2024

Study explores why teens self-diagnose mental health conditions through TikTok content

Adolescents are increasingly self-diagnosing mental health conditions after engaging with TikTok, driven by identity exploration and limited healthcare access.

18 Oct 2024

Study identifies genetic associations with youth psychopathology

When trying to understand how genetic influences factor into youth behavior, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have taken the "big trawl" approach, casting their net wide to pull in all the measured traits, behaviors and environments that make up who we are and examine associations with the genetic building blocks comprising risk for mental health problems.

17 Oct 2024

Folic acid supplementation during pregnancy mitigates neurotoxic effects of lead in children

New research gives another reason to take folic acid supplements while pregnant.

16 Oct 2024

Researchers develop decision tree to help clinicians predict genetic diagnoses in neurodevelopmental cases

A study identifies motor delay and hypotonia as key predictors of genetic diagnoses, aiding clinicians in neurodevelopmental care and genetic testing decisions.

16 Oct 2024

Leveraging educational expertise to counter TikTok misinformation

Educational psychologists could help to fight mental health and neurodiversity misinformation on TikTok as more young people self-diagnose based on poor quality content on the platform, a new study says.

16 Oct 2024

Understanding how the hippocampus discriminates social threat from safety

How do we distinguish threat from safety? It's a question important not just in our daily lives, but for human disorders linked with fear of others, such as social anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

15 Oct 2024

Uncovering human-specific genes linked to brain development and disorders

The human brain's remarkably prolonged development is unique among mammals and is thought to contribute to our advanced learning abilities.

14 Oct 2024

Motor delays and hypotonia differentiate neurodevelopmental disease patients with and without genetic diagnoses

Researchers identified key clinical factors like motor delays and hypotonia that predict genetic diagnoses in children with neurodevelopmental disorders, creating a decision tree to guide clinicians.

14 Oct 2024

Anne Bang joins research to understand the genetic underpinnings of psychiatric conditions

Scientists have linked neuropsychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and autism, to changes in many genes involved in early brain development.

12 Oct 2024

Unique protein complex found to influence brain function and anxiety

Scientists at Université de Montréal and its affiliated Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM) have uncovered unique roles for a protein complex in the structural organization and function of brain cell connectivity, as well as in specific cognitive behaviors.

12 Oct 2024

Neuroimaging study reveals structural brain differences in children with autism

There is new evidence that the cells responsible for communication in the brain may be structured differently in children with autism. Researchers at the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience at the University of Rochester discovered that in some areas of the brain neuron density varies in children with autism when compared to the general population.

10 Oct 2024

First map of DNA modification in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex created

A UCLA-led study has provided an unprecedented look at how gene regulation evolves during human brain development, showing how the 3D structure of chromatin -; DNA and proteins -; plays a critical role.

9 Oct 2024

Liver X receptor beta offers new hope in treating depression and anxiety

Liver X receptor beta (LXRβ) shows potential in reducing depression and anxiety by improving neurogenesis, reducing neuroinflammation, and enhancing cognitive and emotional function. More research on LXR agonists could reveal new treatments for mental health disorders.

8 Oct 2024

Scurvy is not just an 18th-century seafarers' disease, study shows

Scurvy, or vitamin C deficiency, is not just an 18th-century seafarers' disease, as a case study of a 65-year-old woman with mobility issues and social isolation shows.

7 Oct 2024

LXRβ emerges as a promising target for depression and anxiety treatments

In a state-of-the-art Bench to Bedside review published in the journal Brain Medicine (Genomic Press), researchers Dr. Xiaoyu Song and Professor Jan-Åke Gustafsson from the University of Houston and Karolinska Institutet (Sweden) shed light on the therapeutic potential of liver X receptor beta (LXRβ) in treating depression and anxiety.

4 Oct 2024

Trump leads, and his party follows, on vaccine skepticism

More than four years ago, former President Donald Trump’s administration accelerated the development and rollout of the covid-19 vaccine.

4 Oct 2024

New pathway linking neuron selectivity to cognitive disorders uncovered

Neuroscientists from Johns Hopkins Medicine say they have determined how a brain cell surface molecule shapes the way certain neurons behave.

3 Oct 2024

Air pollution linked to brain changes in children

Outdoor air pollution from power plants, fires and cars continues to degrade human, animal and environmental health around the globe.

1 Oct 2024

Advanced brain mapping reveals neuronal subtypes and their connections

Scientists at the Salk Institute are unveiling a new brain-mapping neurotechnology called Single Transcriptome Assisted Rabies Tracing (START). The cutting-edge tool combines two advanced technologies-;monosynaptic rabies virus tracing and single-cell transcriptomics-;to map the brain's intricate neuronal connections with unparalleled precision.

30 Sep 2024