Autism News

November 24, 2024

Top Headlines

Brain-Based Visual Impairment in Children

Nov. 19, 2024 — Experts have identified five elements of a brain-based condition that has emerged as a leading cause of vision impairment starting in childhood in the United States and other industrialized nations. Known as cerebral (or cortical) visual impairment ...

Children Exposed to Antiseizure Meds During Pregnancy Face Neurodevelopmental Risks, Study Finds

Nov. 15, 2024 — Children born to mothers who take antiseizure medications to manage seizures and psychiatric conditions during pregnancy may face increased risks of neurodevelopmental conditions, according to new ...

'Human Mini-Brains' Reveal Autism Biology and Potential Treatments

Oct. 23, 2024 — By creating personalized brain 'organoids' in the lab, scientists showed how microRNAs impact brain development, and demonstrate how one drug can reverse critical cellular signs of ...

Crucial Role of Cerebellum in Social and Cognitive Functioning

Oct. 22, 2024 — Scientists shed light on the often-overlooked role of the cerebellum in both motor and social-cognitive processes. His research contributes to a growing shift in the field of neuroscience, which has traditionally focused on the cerebrum. For ...

Latest Headlines

updated 3:58pm EST

Your Brain Is Ahead, Predicting the World

Oct. 30, 2024 — Your brain not only processes what you see but continuously makes predictions based on your experiences. This process may be less fine-tuned in people with autism, research ...

Let Sleeping Babies Lie: Scientists Highlight Negative Impacts of Sleep Disruption on Early Brain Development

Oct. 23, 2024 — Researchers show how sleep loss during early life impacts key aspects of brain development and how it can increase one's risk for developing autism ...

Study Shows That Rett Syndrome in Females Is Not Just Less Severe, but Different

Oct. 17, 2024 — Symptoms and disease progression of Rett syndrome are different in females than males. A new study shows why it is important to understand these ...

Increased Autism Risk Linked to Y Chromosome, Study Finds

Oct. 17, 2024 — Increased risk for autism appears to be linked to the Y chromosome, a study has found, offering a new explanation for the greater prevalence of autism in ...

Folic Acid May Mitigate Link Between Lead Exposure During Pregnancy and Autistic Behaviours in Children

Oct. 16, 2024 — A new study has found that folate may weaken the link between blood-lead levels in pregnant women and autistic-like behaviors in their ...

A New Target for Anxiety Disorders

Oct. 11, 2024 — By generating mice with genetic mutations that disrupt the brain's TrkC-PTP protein complex, researchers find a key way that brain cells ...

Neurons Look Different in Children With Autism, Research Finds

Oct. 9, 2024 — There is new evidence that the cells responsible for communication in the brain may be structured differently in children with autism. Researchers discovered that in some areas of the brain neuron ...

Brain Molecule Makes Neurons Less Selective, Deepening Understanding of Human Cognition

Oct. 2, 2024 — Neuroscientists say they have determined how a brain cell surface molecule shapes the way certain neurons ...

Scientists Create Map of DNA Modification in the Developing Human Brain

Oct. 9, 2024 — A new study has created a map of DNA modification in two regions of the brain critical to learning, memory and emotional regulation. The map offers a benchmark for ensuring stem cell-based models ...

Improving Eye Tracking to Assess Brain Disorders

Sep. 16, 2024 — Using piezoelectricity, an engineering team developed wearable sensors to examine eye movement to assess brain disorders or damage to the ...

Standardized Autism Screening During Pediatric Well Visits Identified More, Younger Children With High Likelihood for Autism Diagnosis

Nov. 14, 2024 — New research found that the use of standardized autism screening during pediatric well-child visits identifies more children with high autism likelihood at a younger age, including those presenting ...

Autistic Traits Shape How We Explore

Oct. 31, 2024 — People with stronger autistic trails showed distinct exploration patterns and higher levels of persistence in a computer game, ultimately resulting in better performance than people with lower scores ...

Study Highlights Key Challenges and Opportunities in Transitioning Autistic Individuals Into Adulthood

Oct. 17, 2024 — The Autism Transitions Research Project has released new findings that underscore critical challenges and opportunities in transitioning autistic youth into ...

Pandemic-Era Babies Do Not Have Higher Autism Risk, Finds Study

Sep. 23, 2024 — Children born during the pandemic, including those exposed to COVID in utero, were no more likely to screen positive for autism than unexposed or pre-pandemic ...

Beyond Labels: A New Framework for Neurodiversity and Mental Health

Sep. 16, 2024 — A news study challenges the traditional approach to diagnosing neurodivergent conditions (also known as 'neurodevelopmental disorders' in the medical literature), such as autism, ADHD, and ...

Getting Autism Right

Sep. 16, 2024 — Contrary to common perceptions and years of research that autistic people can't describe their emotions or often have muted emotional responses, a new study concludes that many autistic adults ...

Autistic Traits, Behavioral Problems in 7-Year-Olds Linked With Gender Nonconforming Play

Aug. 28, 2024 — Gender nonconformity in 7-year-olds -- as measured by levels of gender-conforming play -- may be associated with autistic traits and behavioral difficulties in girls, and with peer relationship ...

Research Cracks the Autism Code, Making the Neurodivergent Brain Visible

Aug. 28, 2024 — A researcher's mathematical modeling approach for brain imaging analysis reveals links between genes, brain structure and ...

Dungeons and Dragons Can Help Autistic People Gain Confidence and Find Their Inner Hero

Aug. 27, 2024 — A new study has shown the roleplaying game Dungeons and Dragons boosts autistic people's confidence and enables them to feel more comfortable with social ...

Researcher Finds Sound Progress in Babies' Speech Development

Aug. 23, 2024 — The sounds babies make in their first year of life may be less random and more self-driven than previously believed, according to new ...

AI Model Aids Early Detection of Autism

Aug. 19, 2024 — A new machine learning model can predict autism in young children from relatively limited information. The model can facilitate early detection of autism, which is important to provide the right ...

Knocking out One Key Gene Leads to Autistic Traits

Aug. 16, 2024 — Hyperactivity, repetitive behavior, and language deficits all appeared in the mice, highlighting an unexpected role the cerebellum seems to play in ...

New Research Identifies Early Sensorimotor Markers for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Aug. 14, 2024 — A study has uncovered significant findings related to the early sensorimotor features and cognitive abilities of toddlers who are later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder ...

Research Finds Association Between Prenatal Exposure to Plastics and Autism in Boys

Aug. 7, 2024 — Higher levels of bisphenol A (BPA), a plastic commonly used in food packaging, were detected in urine samples taken from women pregnant with boys later found to have autism. Researchers identified ...

Fetal Brain Impacted When Mom Fights Severe Flu: New Mouse Study Explains How

July 29, 2024 — New research using live mouse-adapted influenza virus improves upon previous mouse experiments to explain how maternal infection impacts fetal brain development. The study also indicates fetal brain ...

Neurodivergent Children Are Twice as Likely to Experience Chronic Disabling Fatigue in Adolescence, Study Finds

July 29, 2024 — A new study has found that children who exhibit neurodivergent traits, such as those associated with autism and ADHD, are twice as likely to experience chronic disabling fatigue by age ...

Fatty Acids in Umbilical Cord Blood Might Cause Autism Spectrum Disorder, Study Suggests

July 29, 2024 — Researchers have found a significant link between the levels of specific dihydroxy fatty acids in umbilical cord blood and ASD symptoms. Their findings highlight the role of these metabolites in the ...

Large Study Confirms: Siblings of Autistic Children Have 20% Chance of Autism

July 16, 2024 — A new, large study confirms earlier findings that children with an autistic sibling have a 20% chance of being autistic ...

Why Are Board Games So Popular Among Many People With Autism? New Research Explains

July 12, 2024 — Board gaming is a growing industry, and anecdotally popular among people who display autistic traits. Now new research has highlighted the science supporting the anecdote -- and the important reasons ...

How Our Brains Develop Facial Recognition Skills: New Face-Detecting Brain Circuit

July 2, 2024 — Scientists have uncovered a brain circuit in primates that rapidly detects faces. The findings help not only explain how primates sense and recognize faces, but could also have implications for ...