Entries categorized as Autism

Researcher Reveals A Possible Early Glimpse Of The Impact Of Autism On Older Siblings

On March 8, 2010 / By Chris Fisher / In Autism / No Comments

A new study suggests a trend toward developing hyperactivity among typically developing elementary-school-aged siblings of autistic preschoolers and supports the notion that mothers of young, autistic children experience more depression and stress than mothers with typically developing children. The study was published in the March issue of the journal Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities. (read the full story)

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An Exploratory Ecological Investigation Into The Correlation Between Rates Of Cancer And Autism

On March 4, 2010 / By Chris Fisher / In Autism, Cancer / No Comments

autism_cancer_graphAutism is a pervasive developmental disorder characterized by severe impairments in social skills, language and communication, as well as behavioral disturbances. There is growing public awareness of autism because rates of this disorder are thought to be rising [1]. The etiology of autism is still unknown and clues as to its cause are urgently needed. Check the end of this report for a link to download this open access article. (read the full story)

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UT Southwestern Researchers Find That Gene Mutation Is Linked To Autism-Like Symptoms In Mice

On March 3, 2010 / By Chris Fisher / In Autism / No Comments

When a gene implicated in human autism is disabled in mice, the rodents show learning problems and obsessive, repetitive behaviors, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found. The researchers also report that a drug affecting a specific type of nerve function reduced the obsessive behavior in the animals, suggesting a potential way to treat repetitive behaviors in humans. The findings appear in the Feb. 24 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience. (read the full story)

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A Mother’s Sensitivity May Help Language Growth In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

On February 25, 2010 / By Chris Fisher / In Autism / No Comments

A new study by researchers from the University of Miami shows that maternal sensitivity may influence language development among children who go on to develop autism. Although parenting styles are not considered as a cause for autism, this report examines how early parenting can promote resiliency in this population. The study entitled, “A Pilot Study of Maternal Sensitivity in the Context of Emergent Autism,” is published online this month and will appear in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. (continue reading)

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MIT Neuroscientists Develop Promising Treatments That Could Reverse Autism, Mental Retardation, And Alzheimer’s Disease

On February 21, 2010 / By Chris Fisher / In Autism, Neuroscience / 1 Comment

In his own words, MIT neuroscientist Mark Bear admits he did not “wake up one day and say, ‘Hey, I’m going to cure autism.’” But, after decades of painstaking basic research on how the brain rewires itself in response to external cues, Bear has discovered a way to reverse the symptoms of Fragile X Syndrome, a disorder that can cause autism, mental retardation, and epilepsy. “It was a classic payoff of basic research,” says Bear, the Picower Professor of Neuroscience. (continue reading)

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Autism’s Earliest Symptoms Not Evident In Children Under 6 Months

On February 18, 2010 / By Chris Fisher / In Autism / No Comments

Cute InfantThis has been a very busy month for new Autism research. A study of the development of autism in infants, comparing the behavior of the siblings of children diagnosed with autism to that of babies developing normally, has found that the nascent symptoms of the condition – a lack of shared eye contact, smiling, and communicative babbling – are not present at 6 months, but emerge gradually and only become apparent during the latter part of the first year of life. Researchers conducted the study over five years by painstakingly counting each instance of smiling, babbling, and eye contact during examinations until the children were 3. (continued reading)

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UC Davis Study Confirms Link Between Advanced Maternal Age And Autism

On February 17, 2010 / By Chris Fisher / In Autism / No Comments

Advanced maternal age is linked to a significantly elevated risk of having a child with autism, regardless of the father’s age, according to an exhaustive study of all births in California during the 1990s by UC Davis Health System researchers. Advanced paternal age is associated with elevated autism risk only when the father is older and the mother is under 30, the study found. Published online today in the February issue of the journal Autism Research, the study, “Independent and Dependent Contributions of Advanced Maternal and Paternal Ages to Autism Risk,” is one of the largest population-based studies to quantify how each parent’s age – separately and together – affects the risk of having a child with autism. (continue reading)

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MSU Researcher Advocates A New Way To Treat Autism

On February 15, 2010 / By Chris Fisher / In Autism / No Comments

Brooke IngersollChildren with autism would likely receive better treatment if supporters of the two major teaching methods stopped bickering over theory and focused on a combined approach, a Michigan State University psychologist argues in a new paper. For years, the behavioral and developmental camps have argued over which theory is more effective in teaching communication and other skills to preschool-aged children with autism. Basically, behaviorists believe learning occurs through reinforcement or reward while developmental advocates stress learning through important interactions with caregivers. (continue reading)

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The Top Ten Autism Research Findings Of 2009 (Autism Speaks)

On February 12, 2010 / By Chris Fisher / In Autism / No Comments

Autism Speaks, the world’s largest autism science and advocacy organization has released its annual list of the 10 most significant research achievements to have impacted autism during the previous year. Every year, Autism Speaks documents the progress made toward its mission to discover the causes and treatment for autism spectrum disorders, and compiles a list of the 10 most significant research achievements to have impacted autism during the previous year. continue reading)

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New Clue Why People With Autism Do Not Want Hugs

On February 11, 2010 / By Chris Fisher / In Autism / No Comments

girl_with_hair_in_faceWhy do people with fragile X syndrome, a genetic defect that is the best-known cause of autism and inherited mental retardation, recoil from hugs and physical touch – even from their parents? New research has found in fragile X syndrome there is delayed development of the sensory cortex, the part of the brain that responds to touch, according to a study from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. This delay may trigger a domino effect and cause further problems with the correct wiring of the brain. Understanding how and when the function of the brain is affected in fragile X offers a target for a therapy to fix the incorrect development. (continue reading)

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DSM-5 Proposed Revisions Include New Category Of Autism Spectrum Disorders

On February 10, 2010 / By Chris Fisher / In Autism / No Comments

The American Psychiatric Association’s draft proposed diagnostic criteria for the fifth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) will include new categories for learning disorders and a single diagnostic category, “autism spectrum disorders” that will incorporate the current diagnoses of autistic disorder, Asperger’s disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder (not otherwise specified). (continue reading)

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Autism Speaks Responds To Recent Publications Citing Autism Clusters In California

On February 6, 2010 / By Chris Fisher / In Autism / No Comments

Two recent, separate publications identified regions with higher than expected numbers of autism cases – or clusters – in California. Using data collected by the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) on 2.5 million births including almost 10,000 autism cases from 1996-2000, investigators at UC Davis uncovered several clusters of elevated risk for autism. Autism Speaks, the nation’s largest autism science and advocacy organization, reviewed these studies. (continue reading)

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Distance Education For Parents Of Children With Autism Found Effective

On February 3, 2010 / By Chris Fisher / In Autism / No Comments

Through the use of instructional DVDs, parents of children with autism can learn how to teach their child to communicate and improve their behavior, according to research published in the January 2010 issue of The Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions (published by the Hammill Institute on Disabilities and SAGE). Family members play a central role in the education and treatment of children with autism. However, training parents in appropriate techniques can provide unique challenges. Check the end of this report to download the original study for free for a limited time. (continue reading)

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UC Davis Researchers Identify Autism Clusters In California

On January 30, 2010 / By Chris Fisher / In Autism / No Comments

Researchers at UC Davis have identified 10 locations in California where the incidence of autism is higher than surrounding areas in the same region. Most of the areas, or clusters, are in locations where parents have higher-than-average levels of educational attainment. The other clusters are located close to major autism treatment centers. The clusters are primarily in the high-population areas of Southern California and, to a lesser extent, in the San Francisco Bay Area. In order to qualify as a cluster for the study, the rate of autism had to be at least 70 percent higher than in surrounding areas. The majority of children with autism in California, however, live outside of the clusters. (continue reading)

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How The Autistic Brain Distinguishes Itself From Others

On January 25, 2010 / By Chris Fisher / In Autism, Brain Imaging / No Comments

Scientists have discovered that the brains of individuals with autism are less active when engaged in self-reflective thought. In the study, published in the journal Brain, functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) imaging provides new evidence for the neural correlates of self-awareness and a new window into understanding social difficulties in autism spectrum conditions. (continue reading)

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