Articles tagged with Autism
The University of Southern California has received a five-year, $8.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to survey the genetic, physical and behavioral profiles of children with autism. The grant will increase the reach and ethnic diversity of the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE) database.
Researchers found that symptoms can improve with age, particularly in individuals who are not classified as having mental retardation. The study, which followed over 400 adolescents and adults with autism for five years, revealed significant improvements in communication, social interaction, and repetitive behaviors.
A recent study on joint attention reveals its crucial role in understanding autism, suggesting impaired social skills and communication difficulties. The 'attention-systems model' proposes that joint attention is the result of two basic forms of attention interacting throughout development.
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center created a mouse model of autism, exhibiting poor social skills but enhanced mental abilities, akin to Rain Man's character traits. The study reveals an imbalance in inhibitory brain action and suggests focusing on this aspect for treatment.
Scientists engineered mice with a single mutation in the neuroligin-3 gene to study autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), finding improved spatial learning and memory while impairing social interactions. The mouse model may help understand how specific defects in neural development lead to ASDs.
Researchers at UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine have identified neurexin as essential for synapse growth, maintenance, and function. The study in Drosophila fruit flies may lead to insights into autism spectrum disorders and human neurological disorders.
The Simons Simplex Collection will be a core resource for researching sporadic genetic mutations in autism. Researchers will analyze DNA samples from 2,000 families with one autistic child to understand the underlying causes of autism.
A study by researchers at the Universities of Bristol, Florence, and Western Australia found that children with autism don't update their facial perceptions as readily as typically developing children do. As a result, they struggle to recognize faces belonging to different teams or individuals, which can contribute to social problems.
A recent study by Wake Forest University School of Medicine has found that autistic individuals have deficient connections within single brain regions, contradicting previous assumptions. The discovery was made using magnetoencephalography brain imaging technology and may lead to earlier diagnosis and targeted medications for autism.
Researchers warn of the growing prevalence of ineffective and potentially dangerous fad treatments for autism. Despite limited scientific evidence, parents are often willing to try various therapies in hopes of finding relief for their child.
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 at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory propose a new model for understanding how autism is acquired, suggesting that spontaneous germ-line mutation is a significant cause. This mutation can be carried by women without severe symptoms and passed on to their children, increasing the risk of sons developing autism.
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.
Autistic individuals often struggle with interpreting subtle social cues like facial expressions and tone of voice. A UCLA study found that explicit instructions can train their brains to respond appropriately. Researchers trained ASD children to pay attention to these cues, resulting in increased activity in the brain's 'social' network.
MIT researchers have reversed symptoms of mental retardation and autism in mice with Fragile X Syndrome, a leading inherited cause of the conditions. The study identifies p21-activated kinase as a key enzyme that can be inhibited to reverse symptoms.
Two autism-related proteins, neuroligin-1 and neuroligin-2, have been found to control the strength and balance of nerve-cell connections. The proteins increase or inhibit cell activity depending on firing frequency, impacting brain development in children.
A two-year study at McMaster University aims to find an effective treatment for children with severe autism who do not respond to Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI). The study will provide a functional behavioural skills program and additional training for parents.
A research team led by UCSD scientists has discovered how genetic mutations affect the structure of proteins implicated in autism spectrum disorders, contributing to developmental abnormalities. This study represents a solid starting point for understanding the disorder and developing new drug therapies.
A study found children with both autism and ADHD are four times more likely to bully than their peers, highlighting the need for additional support services.
A recent study published in American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A found no causal link between Rh immune globulin (preserved with thimerosal) exposure before birth and the development of autism. The study included over 200 mothers of children diagnosed with autism, revealing that Rh negative status and pregnancies with thimerosal...
A recent study published in the American Journal of Medical Genetics found no association between Rh immune globulin preserved with thimerosal and an increased risk of autism. Researchers investigated the exposure to thimerosal during pregnancies resulting in children diagnosed with autism and found no correlation.
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.
Researchers identified two DNA regions linked to autism on chromosomes 11 and 17 using a quantitative approach. They found significant linkage to symptoms of autism in families with affected children, which may lead to the discovery of multiple genes contributing to the disorder.
A study by UCLA researchers found that children with autism exhibit reduced activity in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, a region responsible for evaluating emotions and context. This impairment affects their ability to process visual cues like eye gaze and facial expressions.
A UCLA imaging study found that autistic children with impaired imitation and empathy skills have reduced activity in the mirror-neuron system, a neural mechanism for automatic understanding of others' actions. This suggests that this system may be the underlying cause of these symptoms.
Young children with autism have difficulty recognizing ordinary words and more of their brains are occupied with this kind of task compared to typically developing youngsters. Their brains slow down instead of becoming experts in word recognition.
Children with a family history of autism exhibit impaired social referencing, seeking emotional cues less frequently and failing to respond consistently to adult reactions. Brain activity measurements also show differences in neural response to emotionally tagged objects.
University of Iowa researchers have identified a genetic mutation in sperm cells that contributed to autism in two daughters. The study provides insight into how this mutation affects the glutamate synapse and may lead to diagnostic and therapeutic tools.
Toddlers with ASD show unusual attention patterns when viewing faces, spending more time on eyes than other features. They have difficulty recognizing familiar faces, but exhibit improved performance when adopting typical facial scanning patterns.
A study of 34 children with autism compared to 34 without autism found no connection between the two conditions. Researchers looked for specific antibodies associated with celiac disease, but none were found in autistic children.
The US Army's Autism Spectrum Disorder Research Program aims to improve treatment outcomes for individuals with ASD. The program promotes innovative research that advances understanding and leads to better treatments.
Thirteen interdisciplinary research teams from UT Southwestern, UT Arlington, and UT Dallas have received grants totaling $1.3 million to pursue collaborative projects. The projects aim to stimulate efforts at the interface between biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, computer science, and mathematics.
A University of Minnesota study found that parents of children with autism are less likely to report receiving ideal primary care compared to parents of children with other special health care needs. Parents reported difficulties obtaining subspecialty care and challenges in receiving family-centered, comprehensive, and coordinated care.
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.
Researchers found that babies who don't respond to their names by 12 months are more likely to have developmental problems. The study identified a link between failure to respond to name and autism spectrum disorder or other developmental delays.
Younger siblings of children with autism spectrum disorders show weaker performance in non-verbal problem-solving and social-communication interactions at 12 months. The broader autism phenotype may represent an early sign of developmental problems.
A study estimates that individuals with autism incur approximately $35 billion in annual costs to society, primarily due to lost productivity and adult care. These costs can be felt well into adulthood, highlighting the need for financial planning and counseling for families of children with autism.
Emerging genetic research may help identify children with autism at a younger age, potentially treatable. Behavioral interventions are becoming increasingly sophisticated and effective for young children with autism.
A new protein, CADPS2, has been identified as a potential cause of autism. Research found that mice lacking this protein exhibited autistic-like characteristics, including impaired social interactions and hyperactivity.
Prenatal glucocorticoid exposure has been shown to have long-lasting deleterious effects on cardiovascular, metabolic, and neuroendocrine function in offspring. Additionally, research has identified a protein implicated in both autism and leukemia, with aberrant splicing detected in individuals with these conditions.
Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have found that spontaneous mutations in DNA are more common in sporadic cases of autism than in familial or healthy children. The study, published in Science, reports that at least 10% of children with autism carry a genetic alteration not found in either parent.
A study found that tiny spontaneous gene mutations are 10 times more prevalent in sporadic cases of autism spectrum disorders than in healthy control subjects. The researchers propose that these anomalies are primary causes of the disorder in most cases when present, and may contribute to disease equally across the sexes.
A two-stage model suggests that humans learn novel tasks by first processing stimulus shape and then discriminating between shapes to categorize objects. The study used fMRI to measure brain activity while participants learned to group cars into categories, revealing a complex interplay between lower and higher brain processes.
Researchers will collect DNA samples from 3,000 autism patients to identify variants and develop treatments. The project will advance knowledge on subtypes of autism, promoting targeted therapies.
Researchers at Yale University identified a potential autism gene through a global genome scan involving 120 scientists from 50 institutions. The study found two genes linked to autism: neurexin 1 and a gene on chromosome 11, which may contribute to the disorder's susceptibility.
A genome-wide study of 1,200 families with multiple cases of autism has identified a previously unidentified region on chromosome 11 and implicated genes affecting glutamate neurons. The findings provide new insights into the genetic basis of autism and offer potential routes to breakthroughs in treatments.
An international team of researchers has identified one gene and a previously unidentified region on chromosome 11 as potential contributors to autism. The study, published in Nature Genetics, is based on genetic samples from nearly 1,200 families with two or more children who have autism.
A five-year study involving over 1,200 families has identified two new genetic links to familial autism, with one gene associated with neurexin 1 and a previously unidentified region of chromosome 11 implicated. The findings suggest that autism has numerous genetic origins rather than a single cause.
Researchers from the Autism Genome Project have made significant discoveries about the genetic basis of autism, implicating previously unidentified regions and genes in chromosome 11 and neurexin 1. The study's findings hold promise for diagnosis and treatment breakthroughs.
A massive international study identifies potential genetic links for autism, shedding light on the disorder's neurological basis. The research, involving over 1,400 families, suggests that certain genes increase the risk of developing autism, while environmental factors also play a role.
The largest search for autism genes to date has implicated components of the brain's glutamate chemical messenger system and a previously overlooked site on chromosome 11. Tiny variations in genes may heighten risk for autism spectrum disorders, with evidence pointing to gene variants affecting neurotransmitter systems.
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh successfully reversed the symptoms of Rett Syndrome in a genetic mouse model, restoring normal brain function and mobility. The study's findings, published in Science Express, have significant implications for the treatment and potential cure of autism spectrum disorders.
Scientists at the University of Edinburgh have made a groundbreaking discovery in treating Rett syndrome, reversing symptoms in mice. By activating the MECP2 gene, they were able to eliminate breathing and mobility difficulties, leaving mice undistinguishable from healthy counterparts.
The incidence of autism and two other childhood neuropsychiatric disorders increased significantly among Danish children between 1990 and 2004. This trend suggests a broader pattern in childhood mental illness, with the exception of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
A study by Stanford researchers found that while 41% of autism research deals with brain and behavior, only 11% of media coverage addresses these topics. Instead, 48% focus on environmental causes, such as the childhood MMR vaccine, highlighting a stark disconnect between scientific research and public perception.
In the most severely socially impaired males with autism spectrum disorders, researchers found a smaller-than-normal amygdala, an almond-shaped danger-detector deep in the brain. The study suggests that social fear triggers hyperactivity in the amygdala, which eventually leads to toxic adaptation and cell death.
Researchers found that oxytocin significantly reduced repetitive behaviors and improved social cognition in adult autism patients. Intravenous and intranasal administration showed promising results, with effects lasting up to two weeks after treatment.
Researchers highlight potential new treatments for Alzheimer's disease, autism, and treatment-resistant depression, as well as a gene influencing nicotine-induced behaviors. The studies suggest innovative approaches to prevention and treatment of neurological disorders.
Researchers used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to measure structural integrity of white matter in brains of people with autism. They found reduced white matter integrity in areas around the corpus callosum, which may underlie narrow-focused thought and weak coherence in individuals with autism.
A new MUHC study provides conclusive evidence that the MMR vaccine is not associated with autism spectrum disorders. The study's findings contradict previous molecular studies that falsely linked the vaccine to autism. The research team uncovered fundamental errors in these earlier studies, clearing the MMR vaccine of its link to autism.