AutismFeaturedNeuroscience·April 6, 2020Changes in brain attention may underlie autismThose 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. Read More
AutismFeaturedGeneticsNeuroscience·April 2, 2020Single mutation leads to big effects in autism-related geneNew findings about NLGN4 genes reveals why males are more susceptible to developing autism than females. Read More
AutismFeaturedNeuroscience·March 26, 2020US autism rates up 10 percent in new CDC reportThe 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%. Read More
AutismFeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·March 13, 2020Early behavioral marker for autism identified15-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. Read More
AutismFeaturedNeuroscience·March 5, 2020Understanding how the brain predicts could make treating autism easierUnderstanding how the brain decides what it should pay attention to is key to understanding how prediction plays a tole in autism. Read More
AutismFeaturedGeneticsNeuroscience·March 2, 2020Could targeting an Alzheimer’s-associated protein prevent Autism?Reducing levels of the Alzheimer's related Tau protein prevents autism-like behaviors in mouse models. Tau reduction also prevented seizures in the animals. Read More
auditory neuroscienceAutismFeaturedGeneticsNeurosciencevisual neuroscience·March 2, 2020Why those on the autism spectrum are often hypersensitive to light and noiseMice lacking the autism-associated SHANK3 gene were more sensitive to sensation, including touch. The mice also had overactive excitatory neurons in the somatosensory cortex, which may account for sensory hypersensitivity. Read More
AutismFeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·February 21, 2020Abnormally low levels of a key protein in brains of young men with autismMales on the autism spectrum have significantly lower levels of a protein in their brains' that plays a role in inflammation and metabolism. Read More
AutismFeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience ArticlesRobotics·February 20, 2020Baby’s Kicks Provide Clues About Infant DevelopmentHuman-robot interaction and monitoring motor movement may provide clues to developmental disorders such as ADHD and autism in children. Read More
AutismFeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·February 19, 2020Prenatal phthalate exposure associated with autistic traits in young boysHigher 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
AutismFeaturedGeneticsNeuroscience·February 13, 2020Predicting autism risk may begin with a drop of bloodStudy 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
AutismFeaturedGeneticsNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·February 12, 2020Gene associated with autism also controls growth of the embryonic brainIn 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
