Autism News and Research

Latest Autism News and Research

Autism Consortium begins new therapeutic initiative on Translational Medicine

The Autism Consortium, an innovative Boston area collaboration of researchers, clinicians, funders and families dedicated to catalyzing research and enhancing clinical care for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), announced that it will begin a new initiative on Translational Medicine and Autism Therapeutics. The new focus was introduced at the Consortium's fifth annual symposium held October 26th, 2010, at Harvard Medical School in Boston.

2 Nov 2010

New wiring diagram shows how brain organizes information

University of Utah (U of U) medical researchers have uncovered a wiring diagram that shows how the brain pays attention to visual, cognitive, sensory, and motor cues. The research provides a critical foundation for the study of abnormalities in attention that can be seen in many brain disorders such as autism, schizophrenia, and attention deficit disorder.

2 Nov 2010

Pepsi Refresh grant helps in launching Rett syndrome drug development program

The International Rett Syndrome Foundation (IRSF) believes that accelerating the pace of meritorious research, supporting families, and raising awareness are the minimum effort necessary to successfully search for treatments and a cure for one of the most devastating neurological diseases to affect young girls. On October 1, IRSF became the recipient of a $250,000 grant from the Pepsi Refresh contest that was officially confirmed later in the month.

29 Oct 2010

Prominent scientist in mitochondrial genetics joins Children's Hospital to establish CMEM

Douglas C. Wallace, Ph.D., a pioneer and internationally prominent scientist in the field of human mitochondrial genetics, has joined The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia to continue his investigations into the role of mitochondrial energy in health and disease.

29 Oct 2010

Statewatch: D.C poised to approve Johns Hopkins-Sibley deal; Controversial Medicaid cuts in Idaho, Indiana

The Washington Post: "The agreement for Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Health System to acquire Sibley Memorial Hospital is likely to be approved by District officials as soon as Thursday, giving the world-class academic medical center its first foothold in the District. Driven by Sibley's need to ensure long-term financial stability by increasing its volume of patients, the move will allow Hopkins to improve its market position in the Washington-Baltimore region.

29 Oct 2010

Curemark adds two sites in California for CM-AT Phase III clinical trial program

Curemark, LLC, a drug research and development company focused on the treatment of neurological diseases, announced that it has added two sites in California to its Phase III clinical trial program for CM-AT, the company's autism treatment.

28 Oct 2010

IntegraGen to open subsidiary in Cambridge, Massachusetts

IntegraGen, Inc., a French biotechnology company dedicated to gene discovery and the development of molecular diagnostic products and services, announced today that it is expanding its operations by opening a U.S. subsidiary headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts that will support the company's clinical research initiatives focused on the early identification of children at risk of autism. IntegraGen will open the new office on November 1, 2010.

28 Oct 2010

NSF awards Rutgers $1.82M grant to acquire Siemens Trio 3T MRI scanner

The last couple decades have seen a virtual renaissance of neuroscience discovery, largely aided by the advanced technology of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

28 Oct 2010

New computational techniques to overcome obstacles in hard-to-study genes

Scientists have invented methods to scout the human genome's repetitive landscapes, where DNA sequences are highly identical and heavily duplicated. These advances, as reported today in Science, can identify subtle but important differences among people in the number and content of repeated DNA segments.

28 Oct 2010

NAA applauds IACC's decision on safety issues in autism community

The National Autism Association (NAA) is applauding the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) today following the Committee's decision late Friday to instate a subcommittee dedicated to safety issues within the autism community.

26 Oct 2010

Eye-gaze technology opens world of communication for Rett Syndrome children

Special eye-gaze technology now being used in the Department of Neurology at The Children's Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM) is revealing the hidden, inner world of children who have Rett Syndrome, a rare and severe autism spectrum disorder that primarily affects little girls. It is a neurological disease in which mobility and autonomic functions are severely impaired, seizures and orthopedic problems are common, and the children lose functional hand use and the ability to speak.

26 Oct 2010

Rethink Autism provides free online video to help child with autism for Halloween-related social interactions

How does a family with a child on the autism spectrum participate in Halloween activities. That question is pondered by more families than ever before. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that an average of 1 in 110 children in the United States has an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

25 Oct 2010

Brainwave to open twenty first shop at Taunton

On the 29 October 2010, Brainwave will open their twenty first shop at 2 Priorswood Place Taunton, following the success of their existing Taunton store at 106 Roman Road.

25 Oct 2010

Research finds succimer drug not effective in removing mercury

Succimer, a drug used for treating lead poisoning, does not effectively remove mercury from the body, according to research supported by the National Institutes of Health. Some families have turned to succimer as an alternative therapy for treating autism.

25 Oct 2010

Daschle says GOP might defund health plan, and other overhaul news

Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, a South Dakota Democrat, tells Kaiser Health News that a Republican strategy to defund the health law may be an effective way for the plan's opponents to unravel it.

25 Oct 2010

ASD-related health care expenditures escalate in state Medicaid programs

Autism was described as early as 1940, but a marked increase in the prevalence for the broader class of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) during the past decade highlights the demand for treatment of affected individuals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that the prevalence of ASD was one in 110 children in 2006 and increased at an average annual rate of 57% between 2002 and 2006. The rising prevalence has heightened concern about the financial impact of treating ASDs in the private and public health care systems.

25 Oct 2010

Trained service dogs can help children with Autism Syndrome Disorders

Dogs may not only be man's best friend, they may also have a special role in the lives of children with special needs. According to a new Universit- de Montreal study, specifically trained service dogs can help reduce the anxiety and enhance the socialization skills of children with Autism Syndrome Disorders (ASDs).

20 Oct 2010

Autistic children with poor diet face risk of vision loss due to vitamin B12 deficiency

Autistic children with severely limited diets may be at risk for vision loss due to vitamin B12 deficiency, according to new research from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Doctors should consider this deficiency when evaluating and treating children with autism and vision loss, the authors said.

20 Oct 2010

Scientists probe functional connectivity among neurons in auditory cortex gives rise to map of acoustic space

Just as we visually map a room by spatially identifying the objects in it, we map our aural world based on the frequencies of sounds. The neurons within the brain's "hearing center"-the auditory cortex-are organized into modules that each respond to sounds within a specific frequency band. But how responses actually emanate from this complex network of neurons is still a mystery.

19 Oct 2010

Pre-Brain Balance Program for autistic children

With the autism epidemic on the rise, Brain Balance Centers of Peachtree City & Suwanee, GA have implemented the groundbreaking Pre-Brain Balance Program to help children diagnosed with mild, moderate and severe autism spectrum disorders and reactive detachment disorders. The program is designed to improve children's listening comprehension, motor skills, core elements and verbal communication.

19 Oct 2010