AutismFeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·February 19, 2020·4 min readPrenatal 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, 2020·5 min readPredicting 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, 2020·5 min readGene 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
AutismFeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·February 5, 2020·4 min readGluten-free and casein-free diets found not to affect behavior of autistic childrenNo 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
AutismFeaturedGeneticsNeuroscience·February 3, 2020·4 min readNew study links autism to specific cellPostmortem study reveals those with ASD have cellular abnormalities that impair the production of myelin.Read More
AutismBrain CancerFeaturedGeneticsNeuroscience·January 31, 2020·2 min readStudy clarifies genetic autism risk in PTEN patientsCopy 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
AutismFeaturedGeneticsNeuroscience·January 30, 2020·4 min readStudy links rapid brain growth in autism to DNA damageNeural 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
AutismFeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·January 29, 2020·5 min readStudy challenges assumptions about social interaction difficulties in autismSuccessful social interactions for adults on the autism spectrum revolve around partner compatibility, not just the skill set of the other person.Read More
AutismFeaturedGeneticsNeuroscience·January 29, 2020·5 min readLink between autism and cognitive impairment discoveredStudy 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
AutismFeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·January 27, 2020·7 min readPrescription drug improves symptoms of autism by targeting brain’s chemical messengersA 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
AutismFeaturedGeneticsNeuroscience·January 23, 2020·4 min readLargest autism genetics study identifies 102 associated genesIn 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
AutismFeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience ArticlesPsychology·January 21, 2020·4 min read‘Love hormone’ oxytocin improves attachment issues in people with autismMale patients on the autism spectrum who were given oxytocin for four weeks experienced improvements in social attachment behaviors for up to 12 months.Read More
