News Archive

The latest research, clinical and policy news from the Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute (ANDI) and its affiliated faculty.

 

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Autistic girls’ brains show distinct anatomical features

Nerve fiber tracts in the brains of autistic girls are more fragmented than those of typical girls. By contrast, autistic boys...

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...