Washington — Research released today shows that scientists are finding new tools to help understand neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and fragile X syndrome. These studies show in new detail how the brain's connections, chemicals, and genes interact to affect behavior. The research findings were presented at Neuroscience 2011, the Society for Neuroscience's annual meeting and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain science health.
Neurodevelopmental disorders like autism-spectrum disorders and fragile X syndrome are often diagnosed as the brain is developing and a child's difficulty communicating and interacting with others is perceptible. One in every 110 children is diagnosed with an autism-spectrum disorder.
Today's new findings show that:
Another recent finding discussed shows that:
"This research is imperative in investigating the causes of neurodevelopmental disorders, which begin early in development and change the trajectory of so many lives," said press conference moderator and child neurologist Emanuel DiCicco-Bloom, MD, of the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. "With the help of further research, scientists and clinicians can lay a foundation for effective education, early intervention, and new treatments."
This research was supported by national funding agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health, as well as private and philanthropic organizations.