News Archive
Higher rates of post-natal depression among autistic mothers
Autistic mothers are more likely to report post-natal depression compared to non-autistic mothers, according to a new study of mothers of autistic children carried out by researchers at the Univers
Autism may share inherited variants with other psychiatric conditions
Some of the inherited variants implicated in autism also increase the odds of other conditions, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (A
Autism’s genetic drivers may differ by sex
Autism may stem from a different — and larger — set of genetic mutations in women than it does in men, according to a new study.
Multiple genes may conspire to lead to autism traits
The many genes missing in Williams syndrome, a condition related to autism, may all work together to exert their effects on behavior, a new mouse study suggests.
Brains of autistic people show unusual left-right symmetry
The hemispheres in autistic people’s brains are more symmetrical than those of their typical peers, according to the largest imaging study to explore this relationship.
Risk genes for autism overlap with those for attention deficit
People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) carry rare, harmful mutations in many of the same genes as people with autism, an analysis of thousands of sequences suggests.
One in five autistic adults may have an anxiety disorder
Adults with autism are more than twice as likely as neurotypical people to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, a new study suggests.
Surplus of immune cells may mark brains of autistic people
Blood vessels in the brains of more than half of autistic people have an unusually large number of immune cells called T cells, according to an analysis of postmortem tissue.
Motor problems in autistic people may be grossly underestimated
At least one in three autistic children has significant movement difficulties, according to a study of more than 2,000 children.
Analysis finds little evidence to support dietary interventions for autism
Special diets that eliminate certain foods or contain added supplements have minimal impact on autism traits, according to a review of data from 27 clinical trials.
Enlarged amygdala may forecast anxiety, depression in autistic children
A tiny chunk of the brain’s emotion enter, the amygdala, is enlarged in some autistic children; the larger this piece, the more anxious and depressed the child is likely to be.
Computer games could boost social skills in people with autism
Playing games designed to hone the ability to intuit others’ thoughts and feelings increases activity in regions of the social brain.
Language regression in autism tied to motor milestones
Autistic children who lose words reach key milestones earlier than autistic children without language regression, according to a new study.
Autistic girls’ brains show distinct anatomical features
Nerve fiber tracts in the brains of autistic girls are more fragmented than those of typical girls.
Therapy improves speech in autistic children with language delay
A behavioral therapy called pivotal response treatment (PRT) boosts the communication skills of autistic children with language delay better than do standard speech and autism therapies, a small st