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Spectrum: Autism Research News

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Diagnosis

Diagnosing autism is an evolving science but a crucial first step to understanding the disorder.

October 2011

Researchers debut mice with links to Williams syndrome

by  /  17 October 2011

Mouse pups with a duplication of GTF2I, a gene linked to Williams syndrome and autism, show extreme separation anxiety when separated from their mothers, according to unpublished findings presented Thursday at the International Congress of Human Genetics in Montreal, Canada.

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Fast-evolving gene is key player in brain development

by  /  14 October 2011

A gene that changed rapidly after the human genome diverged from that of Neanderthals plays a critical role in brain development, according to unpublished results presented Thursday at the International Congress of Human Genetics in Montreal, Canada.

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Teenage wasteland

by  /  11 October 2011

Teenagers with milder forms of autism withdraw socially in adolescence, even as some symptoms associated with the disorder wane.

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Dysmorphology as biomarker for the study of autism

by  /  11 October 2011

Individuals who have autism and dysmorphology comprise a distinct subgroup within the disorder, says geneticist Judith Miles. 

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DNA helix with a highlighted area in pink.

Genetics: Rare mutations slightly more common in autism

by  /  5 October 2011

Duplications and deletions of genetic regions linked to autism are rare in individuals referred for genetic testing, but occur at a higher rate than in the general population.

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Clinical research: Parents share some autism traits

by  /  4 October 2011

Individuals who have multiple children with autism have more severe social and communication deficits than either controls or those who have only one child with autism.

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New mouse model mimics many symptoms of autism

by  /  3 October 2011

Mice lacking the autism-linked gene CNTNAP2 show many of the behaviors associated with the disorder, and exhibit brain circuit disruptions similar to those seen in people who carry mutations in the gene.

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September 2011

Twin study suggests autism traits inherited independently

by  /  29 September 2011

A new study of nearly 6,000 pairs of twins suggests that the three core traits of autism are inherited separately, and to varying degrees, both in individuals with autism and in the general population.

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Young person walking away from the camera.

Down by law

by  /  27 September 2011

A new study finds that Dutch children picked up by the police for minor offenses score higher than controls on a questionnaire measuring traits of autism.

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Clinical research: Men may not outgrow autism-like behaviors

by  /  23 September 2011

Boys who have autism-like social deficits at 2 years of age retain about the same level of social impairment when they reach age 20.

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