by Baylor College of Medicine Autism is a developmental disorder that affects 1 in 59 children in the U.S. Mutations in specific genes, such as PTEN, can explain many autism cases. While children with mutations in PTEN exhibit autism, macrocephaly (an abnormally large skull), intellectual disability and epilepsy, there are currently no effective treatment options...
Category: <span>Autism</span>
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Inflammation and autism—an important piece of the puzzle
by Delthia Ricks , Medical Xpress Autism spectrum disorder has neither a distinct pathogenesis nor pharmaceutical treatment, yet evidence continues to mount demonstrating immune dysfunction and inflammation in specific brain regions of children diagnosed with the neurodevelopmental condition. A collaborative group of researchers in Boston and Italy has discovered that pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines apparently...
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Perturbed Genes Regulating White Blood Cells Linked to Autism Genetics and Severity
Posted Today Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine say they are getting closer to identifying the mechanisms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and biomarkers that can aid in early diagnosis and predictions of symptom severity. A team of scientists analyzed blood gene expression data from 302 one- to four-year-old boys with...
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First large-scale study of universal screening for autism raises questions about accuracy
Researchers urge continued screening for all toddlers, while recommending changes to M-CHAT screening method to improve accuracy, address disparities CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA Philadelphia, September 27, 2019 – In the first large, real-world study of universal screening for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in toddlers, researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have found that the...
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Low-cost blood pressure drug improves brain function in individuals with autism
by University of Missouri Drugs known as “beta-blockers” have been used since the 1960s as a low-cost, safe and effective means to lower heart rate and control blood pressure. But now researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine and the MU Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders have discovered a version of the...
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Are We Overdiagnosing Autism?
Researchers say changing criteria has resulted in more people being diagnosed with autism. Getty Images Researchers say the changing criteria for autism may be resulting in an overdiagnosis of the condition. Some experts, however, say that better diagnostic methods are simply recognizing autism in more individuals and at an earlier age. Earlier diagnosis allows medical professionals to begin treatments...
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How a unique gene mutation may drive autism
Published Today | By Maria Cohut | Fact checked by Paula Field Which factors drive autism? This is a question to which researchers still have no answer. Now, a new study conducted in mice and assessing data from humans suggests that a unique genetic mutation may play a key role in early brain development, contributing to...
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AGGRESSION IN KIDS WITH AUTISM MAY SIGNAL G.I. TROUBLE
Problematic behaviors, such as aggression, might indicate gastrointestinal distress in children and adolescents with autism, according to new research. Bradley Ferguson, assistant research professor in the departments of health psychology, radiology, and the Thompson Center for Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders at the University of Missouri, examined records from 340 children and adolescents with autism who are patients at the Thompson Center....
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Could processed foods explain why autism is on the rise?
By Ana Sandoiu Fact checked by Jasmin Collier For the first time, scientists have found a molecular connection between a common food preservative, neuronal disruption, and autism spectrum disorder. The findings suggest that there may be a link between the consumption of processed foods during pregnancy and the rise of autism. The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is on the rise. According to the Centers for Disease Control...
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Brain changes may explain why exercise relieves autism in mice
By Catharine Paddock PhD Fact checked by Paula Field Exercise appears to alter the brain in ways that can reduce some of the characteristics of autism in mice. In mice bred to model autism spectrum disorder (ASD), scientists at the University of Tokyo in Japan found that exercise spurred the removal of surplus connections in brain...