AutismFeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·May 28, 2020Autism severity can change substantially during early childhoodA new study reveals up to 30% of children diagnosed with autism had less severe symptoms at age six than they did at age three. In some cases, children lost their autism diagnoses entirely. Girls are more likely to show a greater reduction in autism symptoms and less of a rise in the severity of symptoms than boys on the autism spectrum. Read More
AutismFeaturedNeuroscience·May 26, 2020Exposure to ‘good bacteria’ during pregnancy buffers risk of autism-like syndromeRat study suggests prenatal microbial exposure influences neurodevelopmental outcomes. Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeuroscience·May 26, 2020New method provides unique insight into the development of the human brainResearchers have developed a new model of early embryonic brain development. The model, called MiSTR, allows researchers to create tissue that contains different brain regions and place them next to each other. The model produces results similar to embryonic brain development at five weeks post-fertilization. Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceNeuroscience VideosOpen Neuroscience Articles·May 25, 2020Babies know when you imitate them, and like itBy the age of six months, infants can recognize when an adult imitates them and perceive the imitator as more friendly. Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·May 25, 2020A child’s brain activity reveals their memory abilityActivity in the frontoparietal network during memory tasks reflected the individual working memory capabilities of children, with an activity pattern unique to working memory. Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·May 24, 2020Behavioral disorders more common in children exposed to maternal antenatal corticosteroidsChildren exposed to maternal antenatal corticosteroids had higher rates of emotional, behavioral, and psychological developmental disorders than their peers whose mothers did not take the drug. Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·May 22, 2020Study links severe childhood deprivation to neuropsychological difficulties in adulthoodSevere adversity experienced in childhood increases the risk of being diagnosed with ADHD later in life. Read More
AutismFeaturedGeneticsNeuroscience·May 19, 2020Gene mutation linked to autism behaviorsMouse models with one good copy and one inactive copy of the MEF2C gene showed social deficits, hyperactivity, repetitive behaviors, and significant reductions in vocalization. Read More
AutismFeaturedGeneticsNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·May 18, 2020Autism risk estimated at 3 to 5% for children whose parents have a sibling with autismChildren whose mothers had a sibling on the autism spectrum were three times as likely to be diagnosed with ASD than those whose mothers had no siblings with autism. Fathers with one or more siblings diagnosed with ASD were twice as likely to have a child diagnosed as autistic. Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceNeuroscience VideosOpen Neuroscience ArticlesPsychology·May 17, 2020Presence of spouse alters how parents’ brains react to children stimuliWhen parents are physically together, they have higher similar responses in prefrontal cortex activity to the sound of their infant crying than when they were physically separated. Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience ArticlesPsychology·May 15, 2020Countering the negative effects of a common antidepressantThe SSRI sertraline (Zoloft), if taken while pregnant, can result in birth defects caused by the drug damaging a cell's genetic information. Researchers report one potential way to counter the effect is with specific antioxidants. Read More
AutismFeaturedGeneticsNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·May 15, 2020Group of Genes Have Altered Expression in AutismStudy points to a common gene expression profile, regardless of DNA mutations, applicable to any person on the autism spectrum. The dysregulation occurs in neural progenitor cells. While the genetic cause of ASD may be different between individuals, the behavior of the genes is similar in people with autism, and differ from those who are not on the autism spectrum. Read More
