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Autism

Research articles covering work related to austism spectrum disorders are provided below.

This is a drawing of a person blocking their ears

Auditory Neuroscience Autism Featured Neuroscience

·October 23, 2019·5 min read

Drug combination reverses hypersensitivity to noise

Summary: Treating mouse models of autism with modafinil and EBIO reduced hypersensitivity to noise. Source: MIT People with autism often...

Autism Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·October 21, 2019·4 min read

New therapeutic strategy may help reverse autism behavioral abnormalities

Genetically silencing mTORC2 in mouse models prolonged lifespan, suppressed seizures, increased long-term memory, and reduced autism-like behaviors.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·October 21, 2019·2 min read

Autism spectrum disorder risk linked to insufficient placental steroid

When the hormone allopregnanolone (ALLO) abruptly decreases or stops during pregnancy, children are more likely to develop autism. Researchers report a single ALLO injection during pregnancy can avert the brain abnormalities and social behaviors associated with ASD in experimental mouse models of autism.

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Autism Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·October 17, 2019·4 min read

First evidence of immune response targeting brain cells in autism

Examining postmortem brains of ASD patients, researchers discover an accumulation of immune cells surrounding blood vessels in the brain. They also found blebs accumulating around blood vessels that contained astrocyte debris. The findings suggest autism may be an autoimmune disorder.

Autism Featured Neuroscience Neuroscience Videos Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·October 11, 2019·4 min read

Researcher uses sweat monitors to predict behavioral issues in adolescents severely affected with autism

Electrodermal activity, which results in an increased level of sweat, was able to determine when an adolescent with server ASD was about to embark on aggressive behavior 60% of the time.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·October 3, 2019·3 min read

Severe morning sickness associated with higher risk of autism

Mothers who experience hyperemesis gravidarum, a severe form of morning sickness, are 53% more likely to have a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·October 1, 2019·3 min read

Full-body interaction video games enhance social skills in children with autism disorders

A new video game fosters more social initiation that free play for those with ASD. The game also is effective at reducing repetitive behaviors and helps improve gestural expression.

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Autism Featured Neuroscience

·September 27, 2019·4 min read

First large-scale study of universal screening for autism raises questions about accuracy

Study urges doctors to continue screening all toddlers for ASD, but recommends changing to M-CHAT screening methods to improve accuracy and address current disparities.

Autism Brain Cancer Featured Genetics Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·September 26, 2019·4 min read

Predicting cancer versus autism risk in PTEN patients

A metabolite has been identified that can predict whether people with PTEN mutations will develop cancer or ASD.

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Autism Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·September 23, 2019·4 min read

Perturbed genes regulating white blood cells linked to autism genetics and severity

Blood gene expression analysis uncovered a critical gene network that is disrupted in Autism. The disrupted gene network is related to fetal brain development and is also dysregulated in ASD cellular models. The findings provide further evidence that genetic factors influencing brain development during pregnancy are a primary cause of autism spectrum disorder.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·September 18, 2019·5 min read

Low-cost blood pressure drug improves brain function in individuals with autism

Propranolol, a common 'beta-blocker' drug used to control blood pressure, could be a promising new treatment for those on the autism spectrum. The medication improved cognitive performance and positively altered the frontal-parietal control network, an area of the brain associated with word and information processing, in those with ASD.

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Autism Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·September 18, 2019·4 min read

Brain imaging shows how nonverbal children with autism have slower response to sounds

Nonverbal children on the autism spectrum have a slower response to auditory stimulation. The longer response times were associated with poor communication skills. Brain imaging of the auditory cortex could serve as a biomarker for measuring the likelihood of language impairment in those with ASD.