Latest

Autism

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

This shows a pregnant woman holding her belly

Autism Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·September 18, 2019·6 min read

Early maternal anemia tied to intellectual disability, ADHD and autism

Children born to mothers diagnosed with anemia before the 31st week of pregnancy were at a higher risk of developing ADHD, ASD, and other intellectual disabilities than children born to mothers diagnosed with anemia during the final weeks of pregnancy. The risk of being diagnosed with autism was 4.9% higher for those born to mothers who experienced early pregnancy anemia. For ADHD, those born to anemic mothers had a 9.3% higher risk than those born to mothers who developed the condition during late pregnancy.

Autism Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 17, 2019·4 min read

Some children with autism more able to read thoughts and feelings from facial expressions than previously thought

A new study questions the theory that adolescents on the autism spectrum have trouble identifying different emotions expressed on the faces of others. The findings revealed adolescents with ASD have similar accuracy, response times, and fixation on facial features as their neurotypical peers when asked to infer mental states from faces.

This shows a young girl with her parents

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·September 4, 2019·5 min read

Autism study stresses importance of communicating with all infants

Parents who communicate with their infants help improve language skills and later abilities. Researchers say parents can make a significant difference in language development, even in children with an ASD diagnosis.

Autism Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·August 28, 2019·3 min read

Autism rates increasing fastest among black and Hispanic youth

Between the birth years of 2007 and 2013, autism diagnosis rates rose 73% for Hispanic children, 44% for African American children and 25% for white children aged between 3-5.

Autism Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·August 27, 2019·2 min read

Wearable device can predict aggressive outbursts in people with autism a minute in advance

A newly designed device can give caregivers warning of an impending aggressive outburst from a person with ASD one minute before it occurs. The device monitors physiological indicators of stress.

Autism Featured Genetics Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·August 27, 2019·4 min read

Gene linked to autism undergoes changes in men’s sperm after cannabis use

Marijuana use alters a gene associated with autism in sperm. Hypomethylation was identified in the DLGAP2 gene in the sperm of male rats exposed to THC. The hypomethylated state was also detected in the forebrains of their offspring. Further research is needed to establish if there is a definitive link between paternal cannabis use and ASD in humans.

Autism Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·August 21, 2019·6 min read

Is it autism? The line is getting increasingly blurry

A new meta-analysis of autism data reveals the difference between people diagnosed with autism and the general population is shrinking. Measurable differences between people with ASD and people not on the spectrum has decreased over the past 50 years. Researchers say the definition of autism may be getting too blurry to be meaningful, and the condition may be at risk of being trivialized.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·August 20, 2019·4 min read

Changes associated with autism risk my be detected during second trimester of pregnancy

Increased estrogen activity during the second trimester of pregnancy could be a new, early biomarker for autism.

Autism Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Visual Neuroscience

·August 15, 2019·4 min read

Autism can be measured through a non-verbal marker

A visual test may be a new tool in the diagnosis of autism. Individuals on the autism spectrum are slower to dampen neural activity in response to visual stimuli in the brain. Using EEG data collected from the visual region, researchers could predict with 87% accuracy whether or not a person had ASD.

Autism Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·August 9, 2019·4 min read

69 genes that increase the risk for autism identified

Study identifies 69 genes linked to increased autism risk, including 16 new genes previously not believed to be associated with ASD.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·August 8, 2019·6 min read

Decoding touch: Potential therapy for abnormal touch sensitivity in autism spectrum disorders

Isoguavacine, an old experimental compound which exclusively targets peripheral neurons, mitigates abnormal touch sensitivity in mouse models of ASD. The compound also improved body mass, reduces anxiety, and in one genetic subset of mice, prevented the development of brain abnormalities that arise from altered touch response.