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Spectrum: Autism Research News

News Archive

August 2015

Brain hormone levels linked to social deficits in autism

by  /  28 August 2015

Children with autism who have low vasopressin levels struggle to understand the thoughts of others.

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Training program for teens with autism gets cultured

by  /  27 August 2015

Translating autism interventions for different cultures is a tricky task. One success story is the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills, which has reached at least 20 countries in a dozen languages.

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Depression common among men with autism, study finds

by  /  24 August 2015

Most men with autism have other psychiatric disorders such as depression, finds a study of 50 men diagnosed with the disorder more than 20 years ago. The findings highlight the range of challenges for adults with autism, many of whom lack the help they need.

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Chromosome 7 flaws alter chemical tags throughout genome

by  /  21 August 2015

Alterations to chromosome 7 lead to changes in the chemical marks that direct gene expression.

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Pharma company may have downplayed side effects of autism drug

by  /  20 August 2015

Janssen Pharmaceuticals, the leading manufacturer of the widely used autism drug risperidone, omitted data on the drug’s side effects from a 2003 study, according to evidence presented during a lawsuit against the company.

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U.S. revives failed autism study amid lingering skepticism

by  /  17 August 2015

The National Institutes of Health is reviving a defunct study that aimed to identify environmental risk factors for autism and other childhood disorders. Some researchers say the do-over is unlikely to live up to the original project’s promise.

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Blinking mice bolster cerebellum’s link to autism

by  /  14 August 2015

Mice carrying any one of five autism-linked mutations struggle to associate a flash of light with an irritating puff of air. The findings suggest that the mice have trouble integrating information from multiple senses — a skill governed by the cerebellum.

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Mathematical model of autism bridges brain, behavior

by  /  13 August 2015

A mathematical model of the brain’s circuits shows how neurons stuck in overdrive could produce symptoms of autism. The model may reveal how autism-linked behaviors arise from underlying biology.

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Hyperactive protein points to possible autism treatment

by  /  10 August 2015

A mutation that boosts the activity of the autism risk gene UBE3A may cause neurons to form too many connections, disrupting brain development. Some people with autism have extra copies of the gene, so the findings, published last week in Cell, add to evidence implicating UBE3A in autism.

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Experts balk at lack of support for routine autism screening

by  /  6 August 2015

A decision by a U.S. task force to withhold support for early autism screening could have dangerous consequences, researchers say.

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