Autism News and Research

Latest Autism News and Research

Researchers receive $2.4 million grant to study effects of parenting on behavior of adolescents with FXS

University of Kansas researchers have been awarded a five-year, $2.4 million grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to study the effects of parenting on the development and behavior of adolescents with Fragile X syndrome, a single-gene disorder that is the most common cause of inherited developmental disability and the leading genetic cause of autism.

9 Jun 2016

Maternal immune dysfunction linked to risk of autism with intellectual disability in children

Pregnant women with higher levels of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, proteins that control communication between cells of the immune system, may be at significantly greater risk of having a child with autism combined with intellectual disability, researchers with the UC Davis MIND Institute have found.

8 Jun 2016

Scientists discover unexpected functions of snoRNAs that explains cause of some diseases

Scientists have discovered unexpected functions of small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) that explain the cause of some diseases.

7 Jun 2016

Zika virus directly infects brain progenitor cells in newborns to cause neurological problems

The mosquito-borne Zika virus linked to microcephaly and other neurological problems in newborns of affected mothers directly infects the brain progenitor cells destined to become neurons, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers report in a study published online today in Cell Reports.

6 Jun 2016

Study offers more insights into how sensory experiences shape brain development

Most people encounter most things by sensing them in multiple ways. As we hear the words people speak, we also see their lips move. We smell, see and hear the onions as we chop them -- and we feel them with teary eyes.

6 Jun 2016

New mouse model offers more insight into development of ASD in humans

A new mouse model, developed by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is the first to show that when more of a specific biological molecule moves between different parts of nerve cells in the mouse brain, it can lead to behaviors that resembles some aspects of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in humans.

2 Jun 2016

Prenatal mild viral assault may cause central nervous system malfunctions in children

Babies born to mothers whose immune systems had to grapple with a viral assault -- even a mild one -- have increased risk of brain and central nervous system abnormalities, according to a new study.

2 Jun 2016

Vocal learning in songbirds sheds more light on developmental disorders in humans

Adult songbirds modify their vocalizations when singing to juveniles in the same way that humans alter their speech when talking to babies. The resulting brain activity in young birds could shed light on speech learning and certain developmental disorders in humans, according to a study by McGill University researchers.

1 Jun 2016

First ECHO model helps improve screening and management of autism

Wait lists for a specialist to confirm an autism diagnosis can be agonizing and last months. As the prevalence of autism and autism spectrum disorders increase, so does the demand for a health care system that is fully equipped to respond to the complex needs associated with autism.

1 Jun 2016

Folic acid intake during pregnancy could protect children from possible side-effect of antiepileptic drugs

If pregnant women take antiepileptic drugs, the child can develop autistic traits. The administration of folic acid preparations appears to be a suitable means of preventing this serious side-effect. This finding is suggested by a Norwegian study presented at the Congress of the European Academy of Neurology in Copenhagen.

1 Jun 2016

Majority youths with autism or intellectual disability receive antipsychotics, study finds

About one in ten youths treated with an antipsychotic are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disability. Conversely, one in six youths diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder has been prescribed antipsychotics.

31 May 2016

Overcoming barriers in autism research: an interview with Gahan Pandina

There are currently no medications which address the core symptoms of ASD, and a significant barrier to their development is that researchers have historically lacked effective methods for measuring clinical outcomes.

30 May 2016

Study finds positive link between perceptual difficulty and insular cortex activity

As the difficulty of making a decision based on sensory evidence increases, activity in the brain's insular cortex also increases, according to researchers at Georgia State University.

27 May 2016

External stimulation guides brain circuit’s early development

A healthy brain has just the right ratio of cells that enhance signals (excitatory neurons) and cells that tone down signals (inhibitory neurons). These two sets of neurons start out looking exactly the same, so what determines their roles?

27 May 2016

Gene mutation linked to autism plays key role in formation, maturation of synapses

A new study from MIT neuroscientists reveals that a gene mutation associated with autism plays a critical role in the formation and maturation of synapses -- the connections that allow neurons to communicate with each other.

26 May 2016

Prenatal fruit consumption linked to improved cognitive development in infants

Most people have heard the old adage "an apple a day keeps the doctor away." It's an old truth that encompasses more than just apples--eating fruit in general is well known to reduce risk for a wide variety of health conditions such as heart disease and stroke.

26 May 2016

Telehealth can help parents improve social communication of autistic children

Parents struggling to find and afford therapy for their child with autism may eventually be able to provide that therapy themselves with the help of telehealth training.

25 May 2016

Clinical study examines efficacy of new interactive software game to treat pediatric food allergies

Elizabeth McQuaid, Ph.D., a staff psychologist from the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center, is leading the Phase II trial of an interactive software game developed to help children with food allergies better manage allergy symptoms, social situations and proper food avoidance.

23 May 2016

New autism classification system defines social communication ability levels among ASD children

Children with autism have a wide range of ability to talk with other people, but it has been difficult to group children by their specific skills.

19 May 2016

Drexel study shows how microtubules play vital role in keeping neurons on proper trajectory

As the human brain develops, neurons leave their birthplace and take a trip to distant locations. Once they reach their final destination, the neurons then send out axons and dendrites -- the branches that receive and send messages from other cells.

18 May 2016

Autism News and Research

Latest Autism News and Research

Researchers receive $2.4 million grant to study effects of parenting on behavior of adolescents with FXS

Maternal immune dysfunction linked to risk of autism with intellectual disability in children

Scientists discover unexpected functions of snoRNAs that explains cause of some diseases

Zika virus directly infects brain progenitor cells in newborns to cause neurological problems

Study offers more insights into how sensory experiences shape brain development

New mouse model offers more insight into development of ASD in humans

Prenatal mild viral assault may cause central nervous system malfunctions in children

Vocal learning in songbirds sheds more light on developmental disorders in humans

First ECHO model helps improve screening and management of autism

Folic acid intake during pregnancy could protect children from possible side-effect of antiepileptic drugs

Majority youths with autism or intellectual disability receive antipsychotics, study finds

Overcoming barriers in autism research: an interview with Gahan Pandina

Study finds positive link between perceptual difficulty and insular cortex activity

External stimulation guides brain circuit’s early development

Gene mutation linked to autism plays key role in formation, maturation of synapses

Prenatal fruit consumption linked to improved cognitive development in infants

Telehealth can help parents improve social communication of autistic children

Clinical study examines efficacy of new interactive software game to treat pediatric food allergies

New autism classification system defines social communication ability levels among ASD children

Drexel study shows how microtubules play vital role in keeping neurons on proper trajectory

How microRNA is transforming science: From discovery to diagnostics

Advancing benzodiazepine detection

The Surgeon-Scientist Pioneering Regenerative Engineering

Autism News and Research

Latest Autism News and Research

How microRNA is transforming science: From discovery to diagnostics

Advancing benzodiazepine detection

The Surgeon-Scientist Pioneering Regenerative Engineering

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