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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Author

Hannah Furfaro

Hannah Furfaro was a news writer at Spectrum from 2017 to 2019. Before that, Hannah was an investigative reporting fellow at Columbia University. She previously worked at The Wall Street Journal, The Fresno Bee and the Associated Press. Her work has also appeared in The Guardian and Audubon Magazine.

Hannah has an M.A. in science and health journalism from Columbia University.
July 2019
Family together in kitchen, showing three generations

Majority of autism risk resides in genes, multinational study suggests

by  /  17 July 2019

About 81 percent of autism risk comes from inherited genetic factors, according to an analysis of more than 2 million children from five countries.

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First brain organoids get set to travel into space

by  /  8 July 2019

A cache of about 100 brain organoids grown from human cells is expected to launch into orbit this month.

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Medical conditions may mark distinct autism subtypes

by  /  4 July 2019

Young autistic children may fall into three groups based on the number and type of co-occurring conditions they have.

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June 2019
Fish with fish oil capsules spilling out of it.

Interactive Autism Network, home to dozens of studies, set to shut down

by  /  26 June 2019

The first online registry dedicated to autism research is scheduled to close down on 30 June, ending a 13-year run.

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medical personnel with a swab test in a vial.

Doubts precede saliva test for autism, set to be available by July

by  /  19 June 2019

A saliva test that helps clinicians diagnose autism is expected to be available in the next few weeks. But some experts are skeptical of the test’s accuracy and value.

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Statin pill rests on blister pack

Popular statin shows promise for treating fragile X syndrome

by  /  17 June 2019

Lovastatin, a drug that lowers cholesterol levels, prevents memory and learning problems in a rat model of fragile X syndrome.

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Young man in medical/institutional setting with head in hands

Autism, attention deficit result in distinct mental health problems

by  /  6 June 2019

Adults with autism tend to have a different set of psychiatric conditions than do those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

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Young man sits alone with his hands over his face

Self-injury persists for years in boys with fragile X syndrome

by  /  5 June 2019

About half of boys and men with fragile X syndrome injure themselves — and continue to do so for years.

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May 2019
auditorium conference scene with microphone in foreground.

International autism meeting tilts balance back toward biology

by  /  13 May 2019

The offerings at this year’s international autism conference largely satisfied scientists pushing for a focus on biology, while also including enough sessions on social issues to please others.

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Having smart father raises child’s risk of autism

by  /  9 May 2019

Children whose fathers are highly intelligent are at a higher risk of autism than those whose fathers are of average intelligence.

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