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

Latest Autism News and Research

Study identifies strengths and specific challenges among young autistic drivers

A collaborative study from the Center for Injury Research and Prevention (CIRP) and the Center for Autism Research (CAR) at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) identified clear strengths and a series of specific challenges autistic adolescents experience while learning to drive.

20 Apr 2021

Study reveals new clues to sex differences in autism

It is well established that autism occurs much more frequently in boys than in girls, and that girls seem to have a greater resilience to developing the condition. It has been unclear, however, why that is.

19 Apr 2021

Study provides new insights into how signal molecules are transported in the axons

In a new study, researchers from the University of Copenhagen have gained new insights into how signal molecules are transported in some of the longest cells in the nervous system.

17 Apr 2021

Study sheds light on how autism manifests in the brains of girls

New research has shed light on how autism-spectrum disorder (ASD) manifests in the brains of girls, prompting the scientists to warn that conclusions drawn from studies conducted primarily in boys should not be assumed to hold true for girls.

16 Apr 2021

Researchers awarded $2.7 million grant to investigate sex differences in social reward

Georgia State University researchers have been awarded a five-year, $2.7 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to investigate how oxytocin and dopamine act in the reward circuits of the brain to make social interactions rewarding for males and females.

15 Apr 2021

Linkam FDCS196 stage used in research to develop a novel transdermal delivery system for risperidone

The first study of its kind reports on the enhancement of skin permeability of risperidone (RIS) using eutectic systems.

From Linkam Scientific Instruments 14 Apr 2021

Early exposure to smell can affect perception and social behavior later in life

Imprinting is a popularly known phenomenon, wherein certain animals and birds become fixated on sights and smells they see immediately after being born.

13 Apr 2021

Marshall University researcher awarded $399,600 NIH grant to study sex differences in brain development

W. Christopher Risher, Ph.D., an assistant professor of biomedical sciences at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, has been awarded a $399,600 grant from the National Institutes of Health for his research on the differences in brain development between males and females.

12 Apr 2021

Researchers identify nonelectrical cells that transition the brain from plasticity to stability

Researchers exploring the developing central nervous system of fruit flies have identified nonelectrical cells that transition the brain from highly plastic into a less moldable, mature state.

8 Apr 2021

Mutations to autism-associated gene cause a cascade of problems in developing mouse brains

Damage to the autism-associated gene Dyrk1a, sets off a cascade of problems in developing mouse brains, resulting in abnormal growth-factor signaling, undergrowth of neurons, smaller-than-average brain size, and, eventually, autism-like behaviors, a new study from Scripps Research, Florida, finds.

8 Apr 2021

New tool helps measure communication development in youth with Down syndrome

Expressive language sampling (ELS) is a useful tool for measuring communication development in youth with Down syndrome, a new multi-site study has found.

8 Apr 2021

Microrna-29 molecule controls brain maturation in mammals

A team led by scientists at the UNC School of Medicine identified a molecule called microRNA-29 as a powerful controller of brain maturation in mammals. Deleting microRNA-29 in mice caused problems very similar to those seen in autism, epilepsy, and other neurodevelopmental conditions.

8 Apr 2021

Compassion training can improve the well-being of relatives of people with mental illness

If relatives of people with mental illness become better at accepting the difficult emotions and life events they experience - which is what training in compassion is about - their anxiety, depression and stress is reduced.

8 Apr 2021

$15.7 million NIMH grant to renew UC Davis Conte Center studying the origins of mental illness

Discovering how infections during pregnancy, such as COVID-19 and influenza, can lead to psychiatric illness and developmental disorders in offspring years later, and how to detect, prevent or treat these disorders, is the subject of a $15.7 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to the Conte Center at the University of California, Davis.

7 Apr 2021

UNC scientists identify a molecule as powerful controller of brain maturation in mammals

7 Apr 2021

New mini-microscope enables imaging of complex brain functions in freely moving mice

Researchers from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities College of Science and Engineering and Medical School have developed a unique head-mounted mini-microscope device that allows them to image complex brain functions of freely moving mice in real time over a period of more than 300 days.

5 Apr 2021

Autistic individuals may be wrongly perceived as deceptive and lacking credibility

Autistic adults can be wrongly perceived as deceptive and lacking credibility, Flinders University researchers say, with this working against many caught in the legal system.

1 Apr 2021

Metabolic dysfunction found in mouse models of neurodevelopmental disorders

Mouse models of neurodevelopmental disorders possess unique, sex-specific metabolic dysfunctions, according to a new study in eNeuro.

1 Apr 2021

OCD patients with psychiatric comorbidities can benefit from deep brain stimulation

A new study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry finds that patients with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) as well as other psychiatric comorbidities, such as autism spectrum or tic disorders, may respond well to Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS).

31 Mar 2021

Strengths-based approach may attribute to positive outcomes in children with autism spectrum disorder

One of the biggest longitudinal research studies of its kind in the world led by The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) suggests that positive outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more common than previously thought.

30 Mar 2021