Feature Channels: Autism

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Atypical eating behaviors may be a sign a child should be screened for autism, according to a new study from Penn State College of Medicine.

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UNC School of Medicine scientists unveiled how a particular gene helps organize the scaffolding of brain cells called radial progenitors necessary for the orderly formation of the brain. Previous studies have shown that this gene is mutated in people with autism.

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In a new study, researchers demonstrate that assessment tools capturing implicit signs of word knowledge among those with severe autism can be more accurate than traditional assessments of vocabulary, pointing the way toward better inventions and potentially spurring much needed new research.

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Autistic adolescents need the support of their parents or guardians to prioritize independence so that they are prepared for learning to drive, according to a study of specialized driving instructors who have worked specifically with young autistic drivers.

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Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more likely to experience bullying than children without ASD and this bullying gets worse with age, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.

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Transgenerational bisphenol A (BPA) exposure may contribute to autism, according to a mouse study published in the Endocrine Society’s journal Endocrinology.

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Researchers have conclusively shown that people with autistic traits show less empathy and reduced understanding of other people's feelings in a new study out today from the University of Bath and King's College London (1000 BST Friday 7 June 2019).

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Harvard Medical School’s Media Fellowship program, now entering its 22nd year, is accepting applications for Fall 2019.

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A theory that proposes the existence of a dynamic interface between the environment and human physiology over someone’s lifetime has earned a leading Mount Sinai researcher the prestigious Outstanding Investigator Award from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). Manish Arora, PhD, will receive a total of $8 million over eight years to complete research into his theory, known as the Biodynamic Interface.

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According to research published today in Autism Research, creating a classification system for ASD based on co-occurring conditions could provide useful insights into the underlying mechanics of ASD and these conditions.

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Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are leading a multicenter team conducting research to evaluate whether brain imaging might help reveal risk for autism spectrum disorder in early infancy. Previous research suggests such imaging in high-risk children can predict problems in kids as young as 6 months old.

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If you're looking for new health and fitness story ideas related to physical activity and chronic diseases, here is a selection of research that will be presented at ACSM's Annual Meeting beginning May 28 in Orlando, Florida. Contact Lisa Ramage to learn more about these topics or interview the ACSM researchers.

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Targeting a key gene before birth could someday help lead to a treatment for Down syndrome by reversing abnormal embryonic brain development and improving cognitive function after birth, according to a Rutgers-led study.

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A close look at the rapidly developing zebrafish embryo is helping neuroscientists better understand the potential underpinnings of brain disorders, including autism and schizophrenia. The new study, published online this month in the journal eNeuro, points to a “clustering” of cellular interactions in the brain that may disrupt normal development and brain health.

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A team of NIH-funded researchers at Stanford University Medical School has found that children with autism improved measurably on a test of socialization and learning when their therapy included an at-home intervention with Google Glass. The smart system of eye wear and mobile-phone-based games helped the children with autism understand emotions conveyed in facial expressions.

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Scientists at Wake Forest School of Medicine have taken the first step in developing an objective, brain-based test to diagnose autism.

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A severe shortage of special needs dentists, and a booming population of patients with physical disabilities and behavioral disorders, has left special needs dentists struggling to meet the demand.

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A team of Texas State University researchers including; Dr. Damian Valles, assistant professor at the Ingram School of Engineering; Dr. Maria Resendiz, associate professor for the College of Health Professions; and graduate student MD Inzamam Haque, is developing a mobile application to help children with ASD recognize facial expressions on a device screen allowing children to better interpret nonverbal ques in social settings.

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Two researchers from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) were among five international experts selected to present the results of two innovative studies shaping the field of autism research at the 2019 annual meeting of the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR), held this year in Montreal, on May 1-4.

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The research team found that older adults with autism report more social communication difficulties than younger adults with autism. Using brain scans, they were able to determine that areas of the brain related to social communication, cognition and executive functions thinned more quickly with age in adults with autism than those without.

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Diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by trained professionals in children as young as 14 months are remarkably stable, suggesting that accurate screening and earlier treatment is feasible, report scientists at University of California San Diego School of Medicine.

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A new study from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) examined differences in the way girls and boys on the autism spectrum used certain types of words during storytelling. This study found that autistic girls used significantly more “cognitive process” words such as “think” and “know” than autistic boys, despite comparable autism symptom severity.

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A new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which uses research by Rutgers University, shows a significant increase in the percentage of 4-year-old children in New Jersey with autism spectrum disorder. The study found the rate increased 43 percent from 2010 to 2014 in New Jersey.

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Using virtual reality (VR) technology and a custom-built computer program, Kennesaw State University professor Chao Mei is developing an innovative method of therapy for children with autism and attention deficit disorder.

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A dance study at the University of Delaware is focused on developing social communication skills, motor skills and behavior in children with autism. College students under the direction of Professor Anjana Bhat work with kids for 16 weeks of music, dancing and fun. Watch the impact it has on James, a study participant. April is National Autism Awareness Month. In the United States, about one in 59 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. #autismawareness #asd

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Scientists at the University of Notre Dame discovered microglia actually squeeze through the spinal boundary, crossing into the peripheral nervous system in response to injury.

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The Department of Defense is providing $7 million to better understand how much and which components of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) are the most effective for young children with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

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Courtney Burnette, Ph.D., an international expert in the diagnosis of children with autism spectrum disorders and the early identification of young children at risk for this diagnosis, has been named the director of the Munroe-Meyer Institute’s integrated Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (iCASD).

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When Anthony Capriglione was at Michigan State University he had a difficult time adjusting to the new environment, working in groups and communicating with peers and teachers due to autism spectrum disorder. Consequently, he believed finding and holding a job in his major, computer science, would be very challenging. Then he met Connie Sung.

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Ahead of World Autism Awareness Day on April 2, researchers from the University of South Australia are turning autism interventions on their head with a stand-out sports program that’s training coaches how to best achieve results for students with autism.

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Young adults on the autism spectrum have the lowest rate of employment compared to their peers with other disability types. Although these individuals often face interpersonal challenges, companies are now discovering that they are valuable employees, helping to drive innovation and growth.

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The first large-scale study of autism in China has revealed that around one in a hundred people in the country has an autism spectrum condition - the same figure as found in the West.

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New research addresses limitations of prior autism spectrum disorder (ASD) studies on facial emotion recognition by using five distinct facial emotions in unfamiliar and familiar (mom) faces to test the influence of familiarity in children with and without ASD. Findings show no differences in the two groups of children and reveal that children with ASD are perceptive to their mother’s emotions, which may indicate greater potential to learn and socialize with people they know rather than with strangers.

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A five-year follow-up systematic review and meta-analysis of 33 studies—conducted to determine changes in the frequency of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis since the publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5 (DSM-5)—was published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

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Research in the past several years has shown that children can outgrow a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), once considered a lifelong condition. In a new study, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health System have found that the vast majority of such children still have difficulties that require therapeutic and educational support. The study was published online today in the Journal of Child Neurology.

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Researchers at the University of New Hampshire are one step closer to helping answer the question of why autism is four times more common in boys than in girls after identifying and characterizing the connection of certain proteins in the brain to autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

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Stony Brook University autism researchers investigating atypical communications characteristics of children being treated for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) found that these youths experience a wider range of communication difficulties compared to youth with other psychiatric conditions.

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This study examined whether prenatal vitamin use by mothers was associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) recurrence in high-risk families.

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High-risk younger siblings of children with autism are less likely to be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), have significantly lower autism symptom severity, and higher cognitive scores if their mothers take maternal prenatal vitamins during their first month of pregnancy, UC Davis research has found.

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A pair of new studies has provided new insight into the challenges faced by children on the autism spectrum who exhibit symptoms of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). According to the findings from researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), these children have difficulty with adaptive behavior, a key measure of independence.

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A new map of newborn babies’ brains offers details of structure that will provide a new reference for researchers studying both typical brain development and neurological disorders. Using noninvasive, 20-minute MRI scans, researchers have revealed some of the complex and precisely organized brain architecture that emerges as the brain reshapes itself during the third trimester of pregnancy.

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A mutant gene for a brain protein in a child with autism has been placed into the brains of fruit flies. Fruit flies hosting that gene produce the variant human brain protein and show abnormal behaviors of fear, repetitive activity and altered social interaction, reminiscent of autism impairments.

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Research from the University of Wisconsin–Madison reveals how one mutation causes fragile X, the most common inherited intellectual disability. Fragile X patients have difficulty in learning and language, as well as temper tantrums, hyperactivity and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Nearly half of fragile X patients are also diagnosed with autism.

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A study by Canisius College researchers determined that individuals with ASD are often low in key personality traits associated with important life outcomes.

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Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute who developed a blood test to help diagnose autism spectrum disorder have now successfully applied their distinctive big data-based approach to evaluating possible treatments.

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Breakthrough research demonstrating that children with autism as young as 18 months can vastly improve their language, cognition and social skills with an early intervention developed by UC Davis Professor Sally Rogers has been replicated in a major new study.

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A list of Leading Research Achievements by Brain & Behavior Research Foundation Grantees in 2018.