Baby’s Kicks Provide Clues About Infant Development
Human-robot interaction and monitoring motor movement may provide clues to developmental disorders such as ADHD and autism in children.... Read More...
Autism
Research articles covering work related to austism spectrum disorders are provided below.
Prenatal phthalate exposure associated with autistic traits in young boys
Higher gestational concentrations of phthalate metabolites were associated with an increased risk of autism in boys, but not in girls. Folic acid may help to protect against the effects of phthalate exposure, researchers report.... Read More...
Predicting autism risk may begin with a drop of blood
Study will analyze dried blood spots from newborns for over 1,000 different chemicals and molecules. The presence of some of the molecules may predict autism risk years before symptoms appear, allowing for early treatment and possible prevention. ... Read More...
Gene associated with autism also controls growth of the embryonic brain
In normally developing mice, the autism-associated Foxp1 gene was activated earlier than previously believed. This occurred during the period when apical radial glia was beginning to expand in numbers and generate a subset of neurons found deep in the developing brain. Mice lacking Foxp1 had fewer apical radial glia at the early stages of brain development.... Read More...
Gluten-free and casein-free diets found not to affect behavior of autistic children
No significant behavioral changes and no association with urinary beta-casomorphin concentrations were found in children on the autism spectrum who were fed a gluten-free or casein-free diet.... Read More...
New study links autism to specific cell
Postmortem study reveals those with ASD have cellular abnormalities that impair the production of myelin.... Read More...
Study clarifies genetic autism risk in PTEN patients
Copy number variants may act as genetic modifiers that influence the risk of autism and developmental delay versus cancer risk in people with PTEN mutations.... Read More...
Study links rapid brain growth in autism to DNA damage
Neural progenitor cells generated from skin cell samples of people on the autism spectrum had heightened levels of DNA damage. The damage clustered in 36 of the same genes which had also been damaged in healthy cells exposed to replication stress. Twenty of the genes have previously been linked to the development of autism.... Read More...
Study challenges assumptions about social interaction difficulties in autism
Successful social interactions for adults on the autism spectrum revolve around partner compatibility, not just the skill set of the other person.... Read More...
Link between autism and cognitive impairment discovered
Study identifies a short gene segment crucial for brain development and information processing. The absence of the gene segment induces altered social behaviors, learning difficulties, and memory deficits, which are hallmarks of a subset of ASD.... Read More...
Prescription drug improves symptoms of autism by targeting brain’s chemical messengers
A drug commonly prescribed for edema improves the symptoms for young children on the autism spectrum with no significant side effects. The drug, bumetanide, decreases the ratio of GABA to glutamate in the brain.... Read More...
Largest autism genetics study identifies 102 associated genes
In the largest genetic sequencing study of autism conducted to date, researchers have identified 102 genes associated with the neurodevelopmental disorder. 49 of the genes were also associated with other developmental delays. The new study has enabled the researchers to increase the number of ASD associated genes from 65 to 102.... Read More...