Feature Channels: Autism

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Released: 8-Jan-2021 11:05 AM EST
Autism Theory 25 Years in the Making
Vanderbilt University Medical Center

A unifying explanation of the cause of autism and the reason for its rising prevalence has eluded scientists for decades, but a theoretical model published in the journal Medical Hypotheses describes the cause as a combination of socially valued traits, common in autism, and any number of co-occurring disabilities.

Released: 6-Jan-2021 12:10 PM EST
Mount Sinai and Rumi Scientific Team Up to Advance Drug Discovery for Rare Genetic Disorders Tied to Autism
Mount Sinai Health System

The Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Rumi Scientific announced today that they will team up to initiate a drug discovery pipeline for rare genetic disorders that carry a high risk of autism.

Released: 4-Jan-2021 10:45 AM EST
Clinical criteria for diagnosing autism inadequate for people with genetic conditions
Cardiff University

People with certain genetic conditions are likely to have significant symptoms of autism, even if they do not meet all diagnostic criteria, a study concludes.

Released: 4-Jan-2021 8:30 AM EST
JFK University Medical Center Foundation Welcomes New Executive Director
Hackensack Meridian Health

Notable executive Sheri Marino joins Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation

Released: 23-Dec-2020 8:25 AM EST
Scientists Identify New Gene Involved In Autism Spectrum Disorder
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Dec. 22, 2020 – UT Southwestern scientists have adapted a classic research technique called forward genetics to identify new genes involved in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In a study published this week in eLife, the researchers used this approach in mice to find one such gene called KDM5A.

Released: 17-Dec-2020 1:20 PM EST
Big brains and white matter: New clues about autism subtypes
UC Davis MIND Institute

Researchers found that a long-accepted theory about brain size in some children with autism may not be true. In a separate study, they linked development of white matter with changes in autism symptom severity.

Released: 11-Dec-2020 2:35 PM EST
Vitamin D the clue to more Autism spectrum disorder in boys
University of Queensland

A deficiency in Vitamin D on the mother's side could explain why Autism spectrum disorder is three times more common in boys, say researchers from The University of Queensland.

Released: 11-Dec-2020 12:15 PM EST
New drug moves closer to becoming first treatment for Fragile X Syndrome
University at Buffalo

A new drug discovered through a research collaboration between the University at Buffalo and Tetra Therapeutics took a major step toward becoming a first-in-class treatment for Fragile X Syndrome, a leading genetic cause of autism.

Released: 10-Dec-2020 4:35 PM EST
Treatment found to improve cognitive improvement in patients with Fragile X syndrome
RUSH

Results from phase two study show improved language and daily functioning among participants

4-Dec-2020 3:20 PM EST
Lab-Grown Human Brain Organoids Mimic an Autism Spectrum Disorder, Help Test Treatments
UC San Diego Health

UC San Diego researchers used brain organoids to identify two drug candidates that counteract the genetic deficiencies that cause Rett syndrome, a rare form of autism spectrum disorder.

   
Released: 2-Dec-2020 5:05 PM EST
Autism Study Suggests Connection Between Repetitive Behaviors, Gut Problems
Ohio State University

In children with autism, repetitive behaviors and gastrointestinal problems may be connected, new research has found. The study found that increased severity of other autism symptoms was also associated with more severe constipation, stomach pain and other gut difficulties.

Released: 10-Nov-2020 2:25 PM EST
Teens with autism to learn job skills from virtual training tool
Michigan State University

A team of researchers from Michigan State University, University of Michigan and tech-training company SIMmersion received a $3 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to develop a virtual reality training tool for youth with autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, to improve their social skills as they transition from high school to the workforce.

   
Released: 29-Oct-2020 10:00 AM EDT
Mouse Studies Link Some Autism To Brain Cells That Guide Sociability And Platonic Love
Johns Hopkins Medicine

Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report that new experiments with genetically engineered mice have found clear connections among a range of autism types and abnormalities in brain cells whose chemical output forges platonic (non-sexual) feelings of love and sociability.

Released: 27-Oct-2020 10:05 AM EDT
Antiseizure Medication in Pregnancy Associated with Twice the Risk of Autism in Child
American Academy of Neurology (AAN)

Women with epilepsy who take the antiseizure drug valproic acid while pregnant are at more than double the risk of having children with autism spectrum disorder and nearly double the risk of having children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a study in the October 28, 2020, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Released: 22-Oct-2020 1:15 PM EDT
Cord blood DNA can hold clues for early ASD diagnosis and intervention
UC Davis Health (Defunct)

Specific regions in cord blood DNA can help identify kids who might develop autism, a study led by UC Davis MIND Institute researchers. The findings may hold clues for early diagnosis and intervention.

Released: 20-Oct-2020 12:00 PM EDT
New Theory Sheds Light on How the Environment Influences Human Health
Mount Sinai Health System

Researchers at Mount Sinai have proposed a groundbreaking new way to study the interaction between complex biological systems in the body and the environment. Their theory suggests the existence of “biodynamic interfaces,” an intermediate entity between the two realms, as opposed to conventional approaches that analyze individual aspects of the interaction between the environment and humans in isolation, according to a paper published in BioEssays in October.

   
Released: 19-Oct-2020 1:05 PM EDT
For toddlers with autism, more intervention hours are not necessarily better
UC Davis Health (Defunct)

Two prominent early intervention models for toddlers with autism show a very similar impact, whether delivered at 15-hours or 25-hours per week intensities, a study led by UC Davis MIND Institute researchers has found.

8-Oct-2020 5:05 PM EDT
Nerves That Sense Touch May Play Role in Autism
American Academy of Neurology (AAN)

Autism is considered a disorder of the brain. But a new study suggests that the peripheral nervous system, the nerves that control our sense of touch, pain and other sensations, may play a role as well. The exploratory study is published in the October 14, 2020, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Released: 12-Oct-2020 12:45 PM EDT
New four-year residential program for students with intellectual disabilities at the University of California, Davis
UC Davis Health (Defunct)

A new, residential four-year college program for students with intellectual disabilities is the first of its kind in the west and is expected to serve as a model for other California schools.

Released: 12-Oct-2020 11:00 AM EDT
Labor epidurals do not cause autism; Safe for mothers and infants, say anesthesiology, obstetrics, and pediatric medical societies
American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA)

The Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP),the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia (SPA) the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) aim to clearly reassure pregnant women that the article “Association Between Epidural Analgesia During Labor and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Offspring,” a new retrospective database study published in JAMA Pediatrics on October 12th, 2020 does not provide credible scientific evidence that epidurals for pain relief cause autism.

Released: 12-Oct-2020 10:25 AM EDT
Researcher leads $ 3.8 million project to map developing mice brains
Penn State College of Medicine

A grant from the National Institutes of Health will allow a Penn State College of Medicine researcher to lead a three-year, multi-institution project to create an atlas of developing mice brains.

Released: 5-Oct-2020 3:25 PM EDT
Excess folic acid during pregnancy harms brain development of mice
UC Davis Health (Defunct)

A study of pregnant mice found high levels of folic acid were associated with significant changes in brain development of offspring.

Released: 5-Oct-2020 3:05 PM EDT
Telehealth Trains Parents to Improve Behavior Skills of Children with Autism
Rutgers University-New Brunswick

Training parents of children with autism spectrum disorder virtually about early behavioral intervention is an accessible and effective approach during the coronavirus pandemic or in other instances when in-person instruction is not possible, according to a Rutgers researcher.

Released: 23-Sep-2020 4:35 PM EDT
Institute for Autism Research at Canisius College finds innovative outpatient treatment (MAXout) highly effective for children with autism
Canisius University

Researchers at the Institute for Autism Research at Canisius College find innovative outpatient treatment (MAXout) highly effective for children with higher-functioning autism spectrum disorder (HFASD). Children demonstrate significant improvements in social skills, ASD symptoms, social-cognitive skills, and problem behaviors.

16-Sep-2020 9:50 AM EDT
Small Increase in Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Seen for Pre- and Post-Term Births
PLOS

A study of more than 3.5 million Nordic children suggests that the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may increase slightly for each week a child is born before or after 40 weeks of gestation.

Released: 18-Sep-2020 9:00 AM EDT
Researchers tap AI to help individuals with autism in the workplace
Cornell University

The Yang-Tan Institute of Employment and Disability at Cornell University has joined a multi-institution team that has received a $5 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to help create better job outcomes for people with autism spectrum disorder.

Released: 9-Sep-2020 11:25 AM EDT
A Window Into Adolescence
University of Delaware

Why do some adolescents take more risks than others? New research from University of Delaware Biomedical Engineer Curtis Johnson and graduate student Grace McIlvain suggests that two centers in the adolescent brain, one that makes them want to take risks and the other prevents them from acting on those impulses, physically mature at different rates and that adolescents with large differences in the rate of development between these two brain regions are more likely to be risk-takers.

   
Released: 2-Sep-2020 8:30 AM EDT
Guilt by Dissociation: Study Sheds Light on Serotonin in Autism
Florida Atlantic University

A study on serotonin, a mood-regulating molecule in the brain that regulates many brain synapses, is helping to unravel the puzzle surrounding its role in autism. The activity and regulation of the serotonin transporter (SERT), protein is critically dependent on a number of other proteins that tell the protein where to locate on nerve cells and how to act. Shifts in the transporter’s activity can significantly impact the ability of serotonin to act in the brain.

Released: 28-Aug-2020 11:45 AM EDT
Physiological Test for Autism Proves Effective Independent of Co-occurring Conditions
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)

Developing a physiological test for diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD), one that measures certain components in the blood, has the potential to be a paradigm shift for diagnosing ASD. However, the large heterogeneity of how ASD affects individuals has long been viewed as a key obstacle to the development of such a test. Research conducted at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and published online today in the journal Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, represents a significant step toward addressing this challenge.

Released: 26-Aug-2020 6:20 PM EDT
Overlooked ‘Housekeeping’ Gene Plays Unexpected Role in Seizures
University of California San Diego

Molecules known as tRNAs are often overlooked in studies of disease processes. Researchers have now found that a mutation in a tRNA gene called n-Tr20—expressed only in the brain—can disrupt the landscape of entire cells, leading to chain reactions that alter brain function and behavior.

Released: 21-Aug-2020 2:35 PM EDT
Simple test could improve public attitudes to autism
University of Bath

Using a simple 'thermometer scale survey' to measure public attitudes towards people with autism could help improve public understanding and acceptance, say researchers.

   
Released: 17-Aug-2020 7:15 PM EDT
Autism-Cholesterol Link
Harvard Medical School

Study identifies genetic link between cholesterol alterations and autism. Lipid abnormalities found in nearly 7 percent of individuals diagnosed with an autism-spectrum disorder. Results can inform the design of precision-targeted therapies for this form of autism. Findings set the stage for studies to determine the clinical value of lipid abnormalities as biomarkers for autism.

Released: 17-Aug-2020 2:30 PM EDT
Future mental health care may include diagnosis via brain scan and computer algorithm
University of Tokyo

Most of modern medicine has physical tests or objective techniques to define much of what ails us.

   
Released: 14-Aug-2020 2:25 PM EDT
Pregnant mother's immunity tied to behavioral, emotional challenges for kids with autism
UC Davis Health (Defunct)

Children with autism born to mothers who had immune conditions during their pregnancy are more likely to have behavioral and emotional problems, a UC Davis Health study has found. Offspring sex may also interact with maternal immune conditions to influence outcomes, particularly in terms of a child’s cognition.

Released: 12-Aug-2020 9:00 AM EDT
Early neural activity associated with autism
Elsevier

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is rarely diagnosed until symptoms arise, often well into childhood. Evidence however, is mounting that developmental abnormalities likely emerge in the brain long before then: early identification of babies at risk for ASD could allow for interventions that would improve their developmental outcomes.

Released: 10-Aug-2020 7:25 AM EDT
GI symptoms linked to behavioral problems in children, especially those with autism
UC Davis Health (Defunct)

A new UC Davis Health study found that common gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation and bloating are linked to troubling sleep problems, self-harm and physical complaints in preschool children. According to the study, published Aug. 6 in Autism Research, these GI symptoms are much more common and potentially disruptive in young kids with autism.

Released: 5-Aug-2020 1:35 PM EDT
Epigenetic Changes in ADNP Syndrome, a Cause of Autism, Do Not Indicate Profound Presentation of the Disorder
Mount Sinai Health System

A study led by the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai found that two different blood epigenetic signatures associated with ADNP syndrome (also known as Helsmoortel-Van Der Aa syndrome) have only a modest correlation with clinical manifestations of the syndrome.

Released: 5-Aug-2020 1:05 PM EDT
How Climate Change Affects Allergies, Immune Response and Autism
Rutgers University-New Brunswick

The changes in the environment and biodiversity brought on by climate change could be responsible for increases in allergies, autoimmune diseases and autism, according to a Rutgers researcher

Released: 4-Aug-2020 3:45 PM EDT
Insights on the gut microbiome could shape more powerful, precise treatment
Brigham and Women’s Hospital

We may not think about it often, but our gut is home to a complex ecosystem of microorganisms that play a critical role in how we function.

Released: 16-Jul-2020 12:05 PM EDT
So You Discovered Something that Might Save Lives … Now What?
UC San Diego Health

New UC San Diego Dissemination and Implementation Science Center provides researchers and practitioners with the training, technical assistance, mentoring and resources needed to implement their findings in real-world settings.

Released: 15-Jul-2020 8:00 AM EDT
Learning The Wiring Diagram For Autism Spectrum Disorders
UT Southwestern Medical Center

A team led by UT Southwestern researchers has identified brain circuitry that plays a key role in the dysfunctional social, repetitive, and inflexible behavioral differences that characterize autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The findings, published online this week in Nature Neuroscience, could lead to new therapies for these relatively prevalent disorders.

Released: 14-Jul-2020 4:25 PM EDT
Current Clinical Trial Assessing Potential of CBD in Treatment of Autism
UC San Diego Health

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine are recruiting eligible children between the ages of seven and fourteen years for a Phase III clinical trial to determine whether cannabidiol (CBD) reduces severe behavior problems in children with autism spectrum disorder.

10-Jul-2020 4:05 PM EDT
Researcher develops method for mapping brain cell change, development in mice
Penn State College of Medicine

Penn State researchers have developed a new method for studying key moments in brain development.

Released: 7-Jul-2020 1:55 PM EDT
Seaver Autism Center For Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai Launches First Drug Trial for ADNP Syndrome
Mount Sinai Health System

Researchers at the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai have started recruiting participants for a new clinical trial to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of a low dose of ketamine in children diagnosed with ADNP syndrome (also known as Helsmoortel-VanDerAa syndrome), a rare neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations in the activity dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP) gene.

7-Jul-2020 11:00 AM EDT
Sensory Neurons Outside the Brain Drive Autistic Social Behaviors, Penn Study Suggests
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

A new study from Penn Medicine lends further evidence that the social behaviors tied to autism spectrum disorders (ASD) emerge from abnormal function of sensory neurons outside the brain.

23-Jun-2020 12:40 PM EDT
Scientists uncover new genetic mutations linked to autism spectrum disorder
Sanford Burnham Prebys

Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute and Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands have identified mutations in a gene called CNOT1 that affect brain development and impair memory and learning. The research, published in The American Journal of Human Genetics, also revealed that CNOT1 interacts with several known autism spectrum disorder (ASD) genes, opening new research avenues for the condition.

Released: 17-Jun-2020 9:00 AM EDT
FREE McLean Hospital Webinar Series: Tips to Help Children With Autism Thrive
McLean Hospital

Dr. Laura Mead Offers Support for Parents of Children With Autism in FREEE Webinar - June 19 @ 10am, EST

Released: 15-Jun-2020 3:05 PM EDT
Genetic rescue of SHANK3 is potential therapy in rare forms of autism spectrum disorder
University of Alabama at Birmingham

A mouse study by Craig Powell, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues suggests that early genetic rescue may be a potential therapy in autism spectrum disorder, or ASD. Powell looked at one gene called SHANK3, whose alteration is seen in about 0.5 percent of ASD patients.



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