News Archive
A blood test for autism? Not so fast, experts say
A new study suggests that its results could lead to a simple test for autism, but statisticians say the test could not be used to screen for the condition in the general population.
The link between antidepressants and autism, explained
Among the many things a woman is supposed to avoid when pregnant are antidepressants, particularly a subtype of the drugs that some studies have linked to an increased risk of autism and attention
Autism’s sex bias may originate in brain’s immune cells
Two of the most reliable risk factors for autism are being male and being exposed to inflammation in the womb.
Proposed revisions to global diagnostic manual for autism raise concerns
The proposed new version of the global manual for diagnosing medical conditions gets many things right about autism — but some items diverge from the manual’s American counterpart and a
Study quantifies prevalence of autism in India
About 1 in 100 children in India under age 10 has autism, and nearly 1 in 8 has at least one neurodevelopmental condition.
Complications during pregnancy may contribute to autism risk
High blood pressure or abnormal bleeding during pregnancy, as well as complications such as cesarean delivery or preterm birth, may all increase the risk of autism, two new studies suggest.
Mutant flies reveal key gene interactions within autism deletion
The absence of several interacting genes underlies the developmental problems seen in people missing a segment of chromosome 16, a new study in fruit flies suggests.
Study revives serotonin as target for autism treatments
Boosting levels of the chemical messenger serotonin makes mice that model autism more social, according to a study published today in Nature.
Signs of anxiety in infancy may foreshadow autism
Fearfulness and shyness in babies and toddlers predict features of autism at age 7, according to a new study.
Blocking key enzyme eases memory problems, anxiety in autism mice
Blocking an enzyme called ERK prevents some unusual behaviors and brain structure in mice missing a segment of chromosome 16.
Reward-system differences may underlie multiple autism features
The brain’s system for sensing pleasure and reward shows unusual activation patterns in people with autism, according to an analysis of 13 imaging studies.
Conditions that accompany autism, explained
More than half of people on the spectrum have four or more other conditions. The types of co-occurring conditions and how they manifest varies from one autistic person to the next.
Gene editing via nanoparticles may treat autism syndromes
Scientists have for the first time successfully delivered the gene-editing tool CRISPR into mouse brains and altered their behavior.
Rat squeaks may reveal autism gene’s role in communication
Rats with a mutation in CACNA1C, a gene linked to autism, make fewer happy squeaks while playing than controls do, and ignore other rats’ requests to play, a new study suggests.
Autism mutation alters balance of gut bacteria in mice
Mice with a mutation in a top autism gene called SHANK3 have altered levels of certain gut bacteria, a new study shows.
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