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autism spectrum disorder

Autism Featured Genetics Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·April 27, 2020·5 min read

Lithium may treat behavior linked to autism gene

Findings support the idea that lithium, a drug more commonly associated with the treatment of bipolar disorder, may help treat those with SHANK3 related autism.

Autism Featured Genetics Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·April 15, 2020·5 min read

Autism in males linked to defect in brain immune cells and microglia

An over-production of eIF4E impairs microglial cells, hampering their ability to effectively prune synapses and leading to autism-like behaviors in male mouse models of ASD.

Autism Featured Genetics Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·April 8, 2020·3 min read

Genes sow seeds of neuropsychiatric diseases before birth and in early childhood

Researchers identify genetic variations in the prefrontal cortex during different stages of development to assess how psychiatric conditions, such as autism and schizophrenia, may arise in individuals.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·April 8, 2020·4 min read

Brain discovery suggests source of lifelong behavioral issues

Study identifies AIM1 inflammasomes as crucial players in the development of a properly formed central nervous system by removing genetically compromised cells. The findings shed light on neurodevelopmental dysfunctions which occur and give rise to behavioral related disorders.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·April 6, 2020·3 min read

Changes in brain attention may underlie autism

Those on the autism spectrum had atypically smaller pupil dilation compared to the control group during distracting conditions while taking a push-button test. The findings suggest those with ASD may have dysregulation in locus coeruleus activity. The dysregulation of the LC may explain the exaggerated responses to environmental stimuli and fixated behaviors many with ASD experience.

Autism Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·April 2, 2020·3 min read

Single mutation leads to big effects in autism-related gene

New findings about NLGN4 genes reveals why males are more susceptible to developing autism than females.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·March 26, 2020·4 min read

US autism rates up 10 percent in new CDC report

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in eleven surveillance sites is 1 in 54 among children aged eight. This is a 10% increase from 2014 when it was 1 in 59. Since 2000, prevalence rates of ASD have almost tripled, from 0.67% to 1.85%.

Featured Neuroscience

·March 16, 2020·4 min read

New research on brain structure highlights cells linked to Alzheimer’s and autism

Astrocytes are not uniform, as previously believed, but take distinct molecular forms depending on their location in the cerebral cortex. Astrocytes also organize in layers in similar ways to neurons.

Autism Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 13, 2020·6 min read

Early behavioral marker for autism identified

15-month-old infants with an older sibling on the autism spectrum, and who experience social difficulties, such as insecure-resistant parental attachment, are more than nine times more likely to be diagnosed with ASD.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·March 12, 2020·4 min read

Specific gene can impact neurodevelopment, leading to autism and macrocephaly

Mutations of the RAB39b gene lead to macrocephaly and autism-like behaviors in mouse brain organoid models, and enlargements and impairments in human organoids.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·March 9, 2020·7 min read

The largest genetic map of psychiatric disorders so far

The largest genetic map of mental health disorders to date reveals there are three groups of highly genetically related disorders among eight psychiatric disorders. A gene related to nervous system development is a risk factor for all eight disorders studied. The RBFOX1 gene is implicated in seven of the eight disorders. ADHD and depression share 44% of genetic risk factors common in the general population. 109 pleiotropic loci affect more than one disorder. These pleiotropic loci are within genes that show heightened expression in the brain through the lifespan, beginning during the second trimester of pregnancy.