Autism News

December 24, 2024

Top Headlines

New Study Reveals How Brain Stimulation Improves Cognition, Decision-Making in Mental Health Disorders

Dec. 19, 2024 — Researchers have uncovered important insights that could improve how mental health conditions are treated with brain stimulation therapy -- a treatment where electrical signals are used to stimulate ...

Developmental Disorder Discovery Could Lead to Better Treatments for Rett Syndrome

Dec. 19, 2024 — New discoveries about the severe developmental disorder known as Rett syndrome could open the door to better treatments for the devastating, life-shortening ...

Genetic Discovery Links New Gene to Autism Spectrum Disorder

Dec. 19, 2024 — New research has identified previously unknown genetic links to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), providing new insights into the genetic underpinnings of the ...

Molecular Events Leading to Rett Syndrome

Dec. 16, 2024 — Researchers have gained new insights into the molecular changes leading to Rett syndrome, a severe neurological disorder caused by mutations in the MeCP2 gene encoding methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2). The team reports that loss of MeCP2 in ...

Latest Headlines

updated 10:58pm EST

Key Breakthrough in Autism: Pivotal Role of CPEB4 Condensates Revealed

Dec. 4, 2024 — A new study unveils how the lack of a fraction of the CPEB4 protein causes a decrease in the expression of genes that are crucial for neuronal ...

Sculpting the Brain (Without Chisel or Scalpel)

Dec. 10, 2024 — Researchers report that they have successfully tested a novel approach for teaching the human brain to learn through external manipulation and neural feedback -- what they call the 'sculpting' of ...

Unlocking the Science of Sleep: How Rest Enhances Language Learning

Dec. 5, 2024 — Sleep is critical for all sorts of reasons, but a team of international scientists has discovered a new incentive for getting eight hours of sleep every night: it helps the brain to store and learn a ...

Animal Characters Can Boost Young Children's Psychological Development

Nov. 22, 2024 — A study has shown that iconic characters such as Peter Rabbit -- or Toad and Ratty from The Wind in the Willows -- can also play an important role in the development of children's theory of mind ...

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. ...

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 ...

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 ...

'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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 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 differences to develop better ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...