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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Tag: language

December 2019
A woman's eye is scattered with light, tracking eye movement

Studies of gaze could improve diagnosis, treatment of autism

by  /  10 December 2019

Understanding how gaze differs in autistic people may help improve their lives.

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October 2019
Two male finches sitting on roost in cage.

Protein linked to autism may help birds learn songs from elders

by  /  23 October 2019

Turning down the expression of a gene linked to autism leaves zebra finches singing disorganized songs.

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Sound sensitivity may hinder autistic people’s ability to communicate

by  /  23 October 2019

People with autism process the pitch and emotional tone in speech differently than their neurotypical peers — which may make it harder for them to pick up on nuances of social communication.

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linked hands in a pattern intertwined with DNA showing some broken parts, symbolizing mutations

Rett syndrome’s link to autism, explained

by  /  21 October 2019

Studies of Rett syndrome hint at genes, cells and brain circuits that may be involved in autism — and may pave the way to treatments for both conditions.

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Songbirds speak volumes about language learning, autism

by  /  11 October 2019

A new study supports the view that songbirds offer a good model to study speech learning in autistic children.

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Language regression in autism tied to motor milestones

by  /  9 October 2019

Autistic children who lose words reach key milestones earlier than autistic children without language regression.

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September 2019
Colorful figure with a circle shape (a pill) and an orange X in the background symbolizing Fragile X

Diabetes drug delivers multiple benefits for people with fragile X syndrome

by  /  17 September 2019

Researcher Randi Hagerman is a big proponent of metformin — a diabetes drug that she is testing in people with fragile X syndrome. In fact, Hagerman takes the drug herself as a preventive measure against cancer.

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Child points to toy and talks to an adult

Therapy improves speech in autistic children with language delay

by  /  12 September 2019

A behavioral therapy called pivotal response treatment may boost the communication skills of autistic children with language delay better than do standard speech and autism therapies.

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August 2019
Boy pointing out moving train window

Motor difficulties forecast language troubles in autism

by  /  26 August 2019

Children with autism who speak few words and have trouble manipulating objects tend to remain minimally verbal as they reach adulthood.

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Mouse squeaks may be poor analog for human speech

by  /  16 August 2019

The brain areas involved in mice’s ultrasonic vocalizations may not be the same as those that govern human speech.

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