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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

First signs of autism appear in infancy

Babies who show lower levels of brain activity in response to social stimuli such as peek-a-boo are more likely to be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to research involving UCL.

Autism spectrum disorders

First biomarker evidence of DDT-autism link

A study of more than 1 million pregnancies in Finland reports that elevated levels of a metabolite of the banned insecticide DDT in the blood of pregnant women are linked to increased risk for autism in the offspring. An ...

Autism spectrum disorders

Autism linked to egg cells' difficulty creating large proteins

New work from Carnegie's Ethan Greenblatt and Allan Spradling reveals that the genetic factors underlying fragile X syndrome, and potentially other autism-related disorders, stem from defects in the cell's ability to create ...

Autism spectrum disorders

Discovery of a key protein involved in the development of autism

Most individuals with autism spectrum disorder cannot be distinguished by physical traits or by severe neurological symptoms. In fact, these cases can be identified only on the basis of certain behaviours, namely their obsessive ...

Autism spectrum disorders

Mizzou program significantly reduces delay in autism diagnosis

When Katie New first suspected her son had autism, she had to wait 18 months for a diagnosis. She also had to travel nearly 100 miles from her hometown of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, to see an autism specialist in Cape Girardeau. ...

Autism spectrum disorders

Potential biomarker for autism

A study of young children with autism spectrum disorder published in JNeurosci reveals altered brain waves compared to typically developing children during a motor control task. The non-invasive neuroimaging technique used ...

Autism spectrum disorders

Autism risk determined by health of mom's gut, research reveals

The risk of developing autism-spectrum disorders is determined by the mother's microbiome—the collection of microorganisms that naturally live inside us—during pregnancy, new research from the University of Virginia School ...

Autism spectrum disorders

Brain scans yield more clues to autism

(HealthDay)—Children with autism show abnormalities in a deep brain circuit that typically makes socializing enjoyable, a new study finds.