A recent study published in Neurology found that children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are unlikely to outgrow handwriting problems into their teenage years. Researchers at the Kennedy Krieger Institute also discovered that perceptual reasoning skills are a key predictor of handwriting performance in adolescents with ASD.
A phase II clinical trial is underway to examine the efficacy of Revatio (sildenafil) in improving cardiac function for individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The six-month study aims to slow disease progression and increase life expectancy.
The Kennedy Krieger Institute will conduct research on the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease in adults with Down syndrome. The studies aim to establish criteria for early diagnosis and develop methods to identify mild cognitive impairment.
A new study found that high-risk infants, those with a sibling with autism, showed infrequent gazing at caregivers when unprompted. Despite this, they demonstrated typical cause and effect learning skills. The study suggests that early exposure to simple cause and effect opportunities can aid in development.
A study by Kennedy Krieger researchers found that 64% of children with ASD belong to a two-parent family, compared to 65% without ASD. The study suggests that parenting a child with autism can be stressful, but does not necessarily lead to divorce.
Children with early developmental warning signs may face lower risk for poor autism outcomes than those who experience a loss of skills, study finds. Researchers examined 2,720 parents and found significant differences in development, symptom severity, and educational needs among children with three patterns of autism onset.
Researchers at Kennedy Krieger Institute found that children with autism have poor handwriting quality due to fine motor control issues, particularly in letter formation. The study suggests training children on letter formation and fine motor skills can improve handwriting performance.
Researchers found that children with autism rely heavily on proprioception to learn new actions, leading to greater impairment in social skills and motor skills. This understanding can inform targeted interventions to enhance visuo-motor associations in children with autism.
The study found that children with autism rely on a region of the brain for conscious movement, while typically developing peers use a region for automating motor tasks. Decreased connectivity between brain regions involved in motor planning and execution was also observed.
The Interactive Autism Network is expanding its research initiative to adults with autism, enrolling individuals to gain insight into their experiences and connect them with researchers. The IAN Project aims to provide much-needed data on the lives of adults with autism, addressing a significant unmet need.
Researchers have uncovered structural features of the brain that may contribute to the development of ADHD. The study used a new analysis tool to examine shape differences in the brains of children with ADHD and found significant abnormalities in boys, but not girls.
Researchers from the Kennedy Krieger Institute found that girls with ADHD experience fewer motor skill difficulties compared to their male peers. The study suggests that sex-related differences in children with ADHD extend beyond symptom presentation, and that girls may outgrow ADHD-related motor skill deficits before age 7.
The Interactive Autism Network (IAN) has facilitated connections between parents and researchers, providing valuable data on causes, treatments, and potential cures for autism. The registry has revealed significant insights, including maternal depression and ineffective treatments.
Researchers at Kennedy Krieger Institute discovered separate adaptable networks controlling each leg and leg movements, e.g., forward or backward walking. This finding enhances understanding of motor skills and brain plasticity, signaling advancements for future rehab practices.
A study by researchers at Kennedy Krieger Institute found a strong association between increased white matter volume and poorer motor skills in children with autism. Conversely, typically developing children showed improved motor skills with increased white matter volume.
Researchers identified early signs of autism development in 14-month-olds, including social and communication disruptions, irregular play patterns, and reduced verbal communication. Early diagnosis can make a significant difference in helping children with autism reach their full potential.
The Interactive Autism Network has achieved significant milestones in its first month, registering over 13,000 individuals and families living with autism. Researchers can now access this large pool of family-provided data to supplement existing research studies and explore new hypotheses.
The Interactive Autism Network (IAN) is a national online autism registry launched by Kennedy Krieger Institute to accelerate autism research. IAN connects parents of children with autism to local and national research studies, collecting valuable data and facilitating the search for causes, treatments, and a cure.
The Kennedy Krieger Institute is establishing a Learning Disabilities Research Center to examine the causes of reading disorders in children grades three through eight. The center aims to improve literacy by developing effective educational interventions.
A new study published in Brain and Language confirmed that men and women use distinct brain areas when processing language and visuospatial information. Females showed more bilateral activation in the inferior frontal gyrus for language tasks, while males demonstrated more bilateral activation in the parietal lobe for visuospatial tasks.
A study published in Neurology reports four cases of MECP2 gene mutations in infant males with progressive encephalopathy, challenging the assumption that these mutations are always lethal before birth. The researchers encourage neonatologists and pediatricians to consider MECP2 as a possible cause of severe neurological abnormalities.
Researchers found that developmental red flags, such as poor eye contact and language delay, can be identified at 14 months and worsen by 24 months. Early intervention could improve outcomes for children with autism.
L2G7 successfully causes brain tumor regression and improves animal survival in pre-clinical models. The monoclonal antibody targets key tumor growth factor hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), promoting cancer malignancy.
A new study published in the Archives of Neurology found that using Lorenzo's Oil can prevent the onset of X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) in a majority of young boys. The treatment, which involves daily oral doses of olive oil and rapeseed oil, showed a significant preventive effect in nearly three-fourths of patients.