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 ...

Neuroscience

Guilt by dissociation: Study sheds light on serotonin in autism

Recent estimates indicate a prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the United States of 1 in 59 children with a well-established 4:1 male predominance. Individual costs for care are estimated at about $2.4 million, ...

Autism spectrum disorders

Adolescence can help unlock autism diagnosis in girls

Adolescence is a challenging time for every child, as they experience important developmental milestones and navigate an increasingly complex world. For girls with autism spectrum disorder, adolescence can create a window ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Autistic people's nerve cells differ before birth

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that researchers are now tracing back to prenatal development, even though the disorder is not diagnosed until at least 18 months of age. A new study now shows in human brain cells ...

Autism spectrum disorders

For black children with autism, diagnosis occurs at about age 5

(HealthDay)—Diagnosis of African American children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) occurs at an average of 64.9 months, many months after parents' first concerns about their child's development, according to a study ...

Autism spectrum disorders

Simple test could improve public attitudes to autism

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

Autism spectrum disorders

Measuring social networks of young adults with autism

As many have recently discovered, social connections are vital to a person's wellbeing. While social isolation is a core challenge associated with autism, researchers from Drexel University's A.J. Drexel Autism Institute ...

Neuroscience

Early neural activity associated with autism

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 ...

Autism spectrum disorders

Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to a greater risk of autism

In the largest study of its kind, Ottawa researchers found that children whose mothers reported using cannabis during pregnancy were at greater risk of autism. The incidence of autism was 4 per 1000 person-years among children ...

Autism spectrum disorders

AI-enhanced precision medicine identifies novel autism subtype

A novel precision medicine approach enhanced by artificial intelligence (AI) has laid the groundwork for what could be the first biomedical screening and intervention tool for a subtype of autism, reports a new study from ...

Genetics

Autism: How a gene alteration modifies social behavior

A team of researchers at the Biozentrum, University of Basel, has discovered a new connection between a genetic alteration and social difficulties related to autism: A mutation in the neuroligin-3 gene reduces the effect ...

Autism spectrum disorders

Challenging the representation of autism in Vietnamese media

With the first-hand experience of raising a son with autism, a Massey University international Ph.D. student has called for a national communication strategy and action plan in her home country Vietnam, to change the way ...