Autism News and Research

Latest Autism News and Research

NIH awards $13M grant to BMC for brain abnormality study in former ELGANS

Researchers and clinicians from Boston Medical Center (BMC) have been awarded a four year, more than $13 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study neurological and brain abnormalities in former extremely low gestational age newborns.

12 Sep 2011

Novel solution for purifying stem cell mixtures

Stem cells show great potential to enable treatments for conditions such as spinal injuries or Lou Gehrig's disease, and also as research tools. One of the greatest problems slowing such work is that researchers have found major complications in purifying cell mixtures, for instance to remove stem cells that can cause tumors from cells developed for use in medical treatments.

9 Sep 2011

Study: Early motor experiences can shape infants' preferences for objects and faces

In a new study published today in the journal Developmental Science, researchers from the Kennedy Krieger Institute and Vanderbilt University found that early motor experiences can shape infants' preferences for objects and faces.

9 Sep 2011

Republican lawmakers discuss Medicare, autism spending

GOP Rep. Joe Walsh talks to a high school class and Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., is backing efforts to provide federal funds for autism research.

8 Sep 2011

Capsules: Deficit hawk or dove? Enzi's autism stance

On Kaiser Health News' news blog, Phil Galewitz examines Sen. Mike Enzi's efforts to provide federal funds for autism research, even as the Wyoming Republican calls for major budget cuts.

8 Sep 2011

Abnormal levels of lysophosphatidic acid can trigger congenital hydrocephalus

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have found what may be a major cause of congenital hydrocephalus, one of the most common neurological disorders of childhood that produces mental debilitation and sometimes death in premature and newborn children.

8 Sep 2011

First Edition: September 7, 2011

"Publicly, consumer and patient advocates continue to cheer wildly for last year's health care law. Behind the scenes, however, some worry that they are losing a few key battles to the insurance and business communities.

7 Sep 2011

Infants at higher risk of ASD have poorer movement skills

Poorer movement skills detected as early as 7 months old are observed in children at a higher risk of developing Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) than children in the general population.

7 Sep 2011

Month of birth may determine career

Being born in a certain month appears to indicate the statistical likelihood of what job a person will end up with, the study by the UK’s Office for National Statistics has found.

6 Sep 2011

Youth immunization rates encouraging: CDC report

According to a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) out Monday, more and more American adolescents are receiving recommended vaccines.

6 Sep 2011

Biologists reveal why men's ring fingers are longer than their index fingers

Biologists at the University of Florida have found a reason why men's ring fingers are generally longer than their index fingers - and why the reverse usually holds true for women.

6 Sep 2011

Autism diagnosis by brain scan a possibility

A team of Stanford scientists have found that the brains of autistic children have a distinctive topography and could be captured using new imaging techniques. This could someday create a template for the autistic brain that could be used to diagnose kids at a very early age they claim.

5 Sep 2011

Novel analysis of MRI scans reveals distinct features of autistic brain

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital have used a novel method for analyzing brain-scan data to distinguish children with autism from typically developing children.

3 Sep 2011

New medicines to target LPA receptors may prevent serious developmental brain diseases

Examining brain damage that occurs when fetuses in the womb are deprived of oxygen, researchers at The Scripps Research Institute have discovered that damage does not occur randomly but is linked to the specific action of a naturally occurring fatty molecule called LPA, acting through a receptor that transfers information into young brain cells.

2 Sep 2011

Scientists discover genetic cause of extreme thinness

Scientists have discovered a genetic cause of extreme thinness for the first time, in a study published today in the journal Nature.

2 Sep 2011

Older dads have a higher risk of having kids with mental disorders: Study

According to a new study children of older fathers have genetic changes associated with autism and other brain disorders. As of now this is seen only in lab mice. Professor John McGrath of the Queensland University’s Brain Institute and colleagues report their findings today in the journal Translational Psychiatry.

31 Aug 2011

Medicaid news: Texas Medicaid dental spending; Ill. providers hesitant on managed care

For the past six months, News 8 investigations have revealed hundreds of millions of dollars of questionable Medicaid spending on braces for children in Texas. Now federal investigators are auditing the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, which controls those funds. Taking the lead in the audit is the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

30 Aug 2011

AAN calls on all neurology patients, caregivers to participate in 2012 Neuro Film Festival

The American Academy of Neurology Foundation is calling on all neurology patients and caregivers to submit a short video to its 2012 Neuro Film Festival, telling their story about why more research is needed into finding cures for brain disorders.

30 Aug 2011

Curemark's novel compound CM-182 shows promise for treatment of hyperactivity without sedation

Curemark, LLC, a drug research and development company focused on the treatment of neurological diseases, announced today that its compound CM-182 demonstrated positive results for reduction in hyperactivity in mice treated with amphetamines. The mouse model screening was performed by the contract research organization, Cerca Insights.

29 Aug 2011

Autism link to vaccines dispelled by a large review of studies

According to a report issued by the US Institute of Medicine (IOM), vaccines are largely safe, and do not cause autism or diabetes. This conclusion followed a review of more than 1,000 published research studies.

26 Aug 2011