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Autism

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

·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.

This shows a young girl sitting against a wall

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.

Image shows a child standing under a street lamp alone

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.

This shows a child coloring with crayons

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.

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.