Last update:

Autism spectrum disorders news

Genetics

Knocking out one key gene leads to autistic traits, mouse study shows

More than 70 genes have been linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a developmental condition in which differences in the brain lead to a host of altered behaviors, including issues with language, social communication, ...

Autism spectrum disorders

National data indicate that autistic birthing people are at increased risk for postpartum anxiety and depression

American women have the highest rate of maternal deaths among high-income countries, with outcomes worse for minoritized groups.

Autism spectrum disorders

Sibling secrets: Autism's impact on family ties

A recent study provides fresh insights into the dynamics of sibling relationships in families with a child diagnosed with autism. This research explores the unique perspectives of both mothers and siblings, unveiling fascinating ...

Neuroscience

Cancer drug could ease cognitive function for some with autism

An experimental cancer drug could make thinking easier for individuals with Rett syndrome, a rare disorder linked to autism, according to new research from the University of California San Diego—a discovery that could lead ...

Neuroscience

Researchers discover a new face-detecting brain circuit

Scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have uncovered a brain circuit in primates that rapidly detects faces. The findings help not only explain how primates sense and recognize faces, but could also have implications ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Study identifies biomarkers linked to autism risk

A large study by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and the Norwegian National Institute of Public Health has identified molecular signatures of gestational inflammation linked to the risk ...

Autism spectrum disorders

When mom talks, are infants with ASD listening?

Motherese is a form of simplified, exaggerated melodic speech that parents use to communicate with newborns and young toddlers. A horse becomes horsie; a dog becomes doggie; parents become mama and dada. The tendency to speak ...

Neuroscience

Autism-linked gene, if deleted, results in less myelin

Myelin, a sheath of insulation around nerves that enables electrical impulses to efficiently travel through the central nervous system, is diminished in mice that have a gene deletion associated with autism spectrum disorder, ...

Autism spectrum disorders

Research that potentially links autism and brain-gut microbiome

A new scoping review of nearly 200 publications covering the relationships between autism spectrum disorder and the brain–gut–microbiome system was published online today in Nutrients. The review synthesizes the growing ...

Neuroscience

New autism marker discovered in kids

Why do so many children with autism often suffer from epilepsy? Northwestern Medicine scientists have discovered an important brain protein that quiets overactive brain cells and is at abnormally low levels in children with ...

Genetics

New hope for people living with a genetic cause of autism

Fragile X syndrome, or FXS, a leading genetic cause of autism, affects around one in 4,000 males and one in 6,000 females. Its symptoms include increased anxiety, intellectual disability, repetitive behaviors, social communication ...

Autism spectrum disorders

How AI could help screen for autism in children

For children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), receiving an early diagnosis can make a huge difference in improving behavior, skills and language development. But despite being one of the most common developmental disabilities, ...