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.

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

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Autism

See more featured articles »

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

Key gene linked to male bias in autism, Tourette's, and ADHD uncovered

Sex bias in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and Tourette syndrome (TS).

8 Dec 2023

VR training helps autistic people navigate public transportation

Many people associate virtual reality headsets with interactive video games, but a researcher at the University of Missouri is using them for something far more important -; helping autistic people navigate public transportation on college campuses.

7 Dec 2023

Music could hold the key to developing effective mental health interventions

How human beings respond to music and the biological underpinnings of this response.

6 Dec 2023

Pioneering Visions: Michael Stryker's Contributions to Understanding the Visual Cortex

In this interview conducted at the Society for Neuroscience's Neuroscience 2023, we explore the fascinating world of neuroscience with Professor Michael Stryker, a leading expert with over four decades of groundbreaking research.

6 Dec 2023

Placental microparticles and their potential to predict and prevent neurodevelopmental disorders

For 30 years, Cheryl Rosenfeld has studied how biological information gets transferred from mothers to babies during pregnancy.

5 Dec 2023

Brain imaging and machine learning identify altered functional brain connectivity in people with ASD

What happens in the brain to cause many neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), remains a mystery.

5 Dec 2023

Lightweight helmet with tiny sensors records magnetic fields generated by brain activity

A man walking around a room wearing a helmet that records his brain function would have seemed like science fiction five years ago.

4 Dec 2023

Unlocking the secrets of diet and child health with ECHO

Collaborative ECHO research led by Megan Bragg, PhD, RD and Kristen Lyall, ScD of the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute highlights the opportunity for researchers to access the large amount of diet information already collected from the ECHO Cohort.

4 Dec 2023

New insights on optimizing housing for individuals with spinal cord injury

Housing that fails to meet the needs of people with disabilities may have far-reaching consequences. Living situations that impede independence and community integration, for example, can adversely affect health and wellbeing over the long term.

1 Dec 2023

Exploring the life expectancy of autistic individuals in the U.K.

Researchers estimate the life expectancy of autistic people living in the United Kingdom.

29 Nov 2023

Study identifies how three novel genes cause neurodevelopmental disorders

An international study group led by researchers of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have identified how three novel genes cause neurodevelopmental disorders.

28 Nov 2023

Genetic mutation in OXR1 gene linked to brain development issues

Study investigates the effects of a loss-of-function mutation in the OXR1 gene on neurodevelopment and cellular functions in the human brain. The research shows that OXR1 deficiency impairs neural differentiation, increases sensitivity to oxidative stress, and alters histone methylation, impacting brain development and potentially contributing to neurological disorders.

27 Nov 2023

New study unravels the brain's social communication network

Researchers have discovered that a part of the brain associated with working memory and multisensory integration may also play an important role in how the brain processes social cues.

27 Nov 2023

Ultra-high resolution MRI scanner offers new opportunities for brain research

An intense international effort to improve the resolution of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for studying the human brain has culminated in an ultra-high resolution 7 Tesla scanner that records up to 10 times more detail than current 7T scanners and over 50 times more detail than current 3T scanners, the mainstay of most hospitals.

27 Nov 2023

Infant face preference linked to genetics

Whether infants at five months of age look mostly at faces or non-social objects such as cars or mobile phones is largely determined by genes.

27 Nov 2023

Study estimates the life expectancy and years of life lost by autistic people in the UK

A new study led by UCL researchers confirms that autistic people experience a reduced life expectancy, however the number of years of life lost may not be as high as previously claimed.

23 Nov 2023

A review of automated clinical depression diagnosis tools

A review on how the latest computational methods that utilize facial, acoustic, and semantic features are being deployed to predict major depressive disorders.

23 Nov 2023

A novel theoretical framework for understanding and treating autism spectrum disorder

This study delves into the behavioral complexities of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by introducing the rigid-autonomous phase sequence (RAPS) formation concept.

22 Nov 2023

Autism research needs more high-quality randomized studies, meta-analysis finds

A new meta-analysis led by Micheal Sandbank, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Health Sciences at the UNC School of Medicine, found that the field of autism needs more high-quality randomized studies of early interventions to help clinicians understand how to better support children diagnosed with the condition.

21 Nov 2023

New AI system achieves 98.5% accuracy in autism diagnosis

A newly developed artificial intelligence (AI) system that analyzes specialized MRIs of the brain accurately diagnosed children between the ages of 24 and 48 months with autism at a 98.5% accuracy rate, according to research being presented next week at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

21 Nov 2023

Autism

Overview

Feature Articles

Autism Screening

Autism Prognosis

Gut Bacteria and Autism Development

Detecting Autism Early

Autism Management

Autism History

Autism Related Conditions

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

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