Autism News and Research

Latest Autism News and Research

Neonatal chemokines altered in autistic spectrum patients

A study by scientists has found limited evidence to support a role for proinflammatory chemokines in the pathophysiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders.

3 Jan 2013

Prenatal brain development may be important influence on psychiatric risk later in life

Some brain changes that are found in adults with common gene variants linked to disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, and autism can also be seen in the brain scans of newborns.

3 Jan 2013

UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine establishes Biomarker Discovery Center

Following recent discoveries by its researchers that could significantly change the diagnosis and treatment of a number of diseases, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)-School of Osteopathic Medicine has established the Biomarker Discovery Center on its Stratford campus.

3 Jan 2013

Roundup: Medicaid waiver challenges in Texas; Detailing Sandy's impact on NYC's mental care

By 2012's end, health care providers across Texas will have submitted proposals to state leaders to transform the way they care for the poor and uninsured. They have been spurred by a Medicaid waiver Texas officials sought and received in 2011 from the federal government, one that ties financing to cooperation, cost efficiency and better patient outcomes.

2 Jan 2013

Autism genome not shy about tinkering with important genes

An international team, led by researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, has discovered that "random" mutations in the genome are not quite so random after all. Their study, to be published in the journal Cell on December 21, shows that the DNA sequence in some regions of the human genome is quite volatile and can mutate ten times more frequently than the rest of the genome. Genes that are linked to autism and a variety of other disorders have a particularly strong tendency to mutate.

21 Dec 2012

Newtown shooting spotlights gaps in mental health care

The elementary school massacre prompts an examination of mental health care policies and access to guns by the mentally ill.

20 Dec 2012

Genomic technology revolutionizes gene discovery and disease understanding in autism

Genomic technology has revolutionized gene discovery and disease understanding in autism, according to an article published in the December 20 issue of the journal Neuron.

20 Dec 2012

Conn. shootings spur questions about adequacy of mental health services

Lawmakers in both chambers are calling for Congress to start a conversation about mental health issues in the wake of last week's deadly shooting at a Connecticut elementary school, with one goal of ensuring adequate funding for services for those who need treatment.

19 Dec 2012

Documented prevalence of autism on the rise in New Jersey

Newly published research led by Walter Zahorodny, PhD, of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), shows that over a four year period in the past decade, the documented prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) rose substantially in a sampling of four New Jersey counties.

19 Dec 2012

Views on Conn. shootings: Mental illness doesn't generally lead to violence; Need for more treatment options; Helping the survivors

It's possible that preventing people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other serious mental illnesses from getting guns might decrease the risk of mass killings. Even the Supreme Court, which in 2008 strongly affirmed a broad right to bear arms, at the same time endorsed prohibitions on gun ownership "by felons and the mentally ill." But mass killings are very rare events, and because people with mentally illness contribute so little to overall violence, these measures would have little impact on everyday firearm-related killings.

19 Dec 2012

University of Leicester autism expert contributes to international global health study

A leading international expert on autism at the University of Leicester has been involved in contributing to a major new study of global health.

18 Dec 2012

First Edition: December 17, 2012

Today's headlines include weekend updates regarding the fiscal cliff negotiations as well as news regarding states' decisions on health exchanges.

17 Dec 2012

Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute and Courage Center announce merger agreement

In a bold move meant to advance the care and services provided to the disability community, Courage Center and Allina Health announced today that their boards of directors have approved a proposed merger between the Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute and Courage Center.

15 Dec 2012

Study finds new evidence that vitamin D decreases risk of autism in children

A study just published online in the peer-reviewed journal Dermato-Endocrinology found additional evidence that vitamin D reduces the risk of developing autism.

14 Dec 2012

TUBB5 gene responsible for microcephaly: IMP study

Neurobiologists at the Research institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP) in Vienna have discovered one of the key genes required to make a brain. Mutations in this gene, called TUBB5, cause neurodevelopmental disease in children.

14 Dec 2012

Bumetanide could treat children with severe autism or Asperger's syndrome

Although this therapy is not curative, it nevertheless reduced the autistic disorders' severity in three-quarters of the children. The researchers have filed a request for authorisation to perform a multi-centre European clinical trial in order to determine more precisely the population concerned by this therapy.

13 Dec 2012

Picaa app helps children and teenagers with some kind of cognitive, visual or hearing disability

This application -named Picaa- can be used on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch and has been translated into several languages (English, Galician, Arab, etc.). This application has topped the 20,000 downloads from App Store -mainly from Spain and the USA- since its release. Picaa is a system designed for the development of learning and communication activities to be performed in class.

12 Dec 2012

Autism associated with reductions in cellular adhesion molecules in the blood

A new study published in Biological Psychiatry suggests that autism is associated with reductions in the level of cellular adhesion molecules in the blood, where they play a role in immune function.

12 Dec 2012

Oxytocin administration to fathers increases parental engagement with their infants

A large body of research has focused on the ability of oxytocin to facilitate social bonding in both marital and parenting relationships in human females. A new laboratory study, led by Dr. Ruth Feldman from Bar-Ilan University in Israel and published in the current issue of Biological Psychiatry, has found that oxytocin administration to fathers increases their parental engagement, with parallel effects observed in their infants.

11 Dec 2012

SketchUp program helps open new communication doors with grandparents of autistic children

For three years, University of Utah researchers have been deploying a computer-based design program called SketchUp in workshops to teach and develop life skills for youth on the autism spectrum. An earlier study showed that using the program helps kids develop their spatial and visual acuity, as well as to leverage those strengths to build positive social interactions.

10 Dec 2012

Autism News and Research

Latest Autism News and Research

Neonatal chemokines altered in autistic spectrum patients

Prenatal brain development may be important influence on psychiatric risk later in life

UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine establishes Biomarker Discovery Center

Roundup: Medicaid waiver challenges in Texas; Detailing Sandy's impact on NYC's mental care

Autism genome not shy about tinkering with important genes

Newtown shooting spotlights gaps in mental health care

Genomic technology revolutionizes gene discovery and disease understanding in autism

Conn. shootings spur questions about adequacy of mental health services

Documented prevalence of autism on the rise in New Jersey

Views on Conn. shootings: Mental illness doesn't generally lead to violence; Need for more treatment options; Helping the survivors

University of Leicester autism expert contributes to international global health study

First Edition: December 17, 2012

Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute and Courage Center announce merger agreement

Study finds new evidence that vitamin D decreases risk of autism in children

TUBB5 gene responsible for microcephaly: IMP study

Bumetanide could treat children with severe autism or Asperger's syndrome

Picaa app helps children and teenagers with some kind of cognitive, visual or hearing disability

Autism associated with reductions in cellular adhesion molecules in the blood

Oxytocin administration to fathers increases parental engagement with their infants

SketchUp program helps open new communication doors with grandparents of autistic children

Event guide: 4th Extra-Hepatic Lipid-Based Nanoparticles Delivery Summit eBook

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

Event guide: 4th Extra-Hepatic Lipid-Based Nanoparticles Delivery Summit eBook

How microRNA is transforming science: From discovery to diagnostics

Advancing benzodiazepine detection

The Surgeon-Scientist Pioneering Regenerative Engineering

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