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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Author

Abigail Fagan

January 2018
doctor with patient

New measure yields rapid diagnosis in adults with autism

by  /  5 January 2018

An abbreviated tool enables clinicians to quickly assess adults for signs of autism.

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December 2017
students in subway taking notes

New York program transports children with autism to their passion

by  /  22 December 2017

In a New York City after-school program, children with autism build social skills through a shared interest in trains.

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eight brains with various sections highlighted

Tool taps personal interests to understand self-control

by  /  15 December 2017

A novel take on a widely used test could help clinicians assess impulsivity in people with autism.

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child anxiously sitting in stairwell holding knees closely

Anxiety may heighten social communication challenges in autism

by  /  6 December 2017

Anxiety may exacerbate social communication problems in children with autism — and not the other way around.

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November 2017
hand cutting a piece of marijuana

Marijuana compound curbs seizures by pushing ‘brakes’ in brain

by  /  8 November 2017

A compound derived from marijuana may treat a severe form of epilepsy by dampening brain activity.

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October 2017
Room full of filing folders on shelves

Repository ties mutations to traits in Phelan-McDermid syndrome

by  /  13 October 2017

A new database details the genetic mutations associated with Phelan-McDermid syndrome, along with the behavioral outcomes of people with those mutations.

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September 2017
One virtual world for fruit flies includes a cavernous space with a pole at the center.

Virtual reality provides precise control of animal behavior

by  /  29 September 2017

A new tool can track fish, flies or mice as they navigate a virtual environment and interact with other animal ‘avatars.’

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