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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Author

Laura Geggel

Former News Writer, SFARI.org

June 2014

In autism, brain shows unusual thinning throughout life

by  /  5 June 2014

The cortex, the outer layer of the brain, grows rapidly in early childhood in people with autism and thins differently with age than it does in controls, two new studies report.

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Adults with autism feel frequent, lingering anxiety

by  /  3 June 2014

People with autism often feel anxious, worrying about everyday events and ruminating on their fears for long periods of time, reports a study published 8 May in the journal Autism.

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May 2014

Some who outgrew autism received early, intense therapy

by  /  27 May 2014

Many of the children with autism known to have outgrown their diagnosis received intense behavioral therapy for long periods of time during childhood, reports a study published in May in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics.
 

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State laws for autism coverage are uneven across U.S.

by  /  23 May 2014

States with the weakest infrastructure for diagnosing children with autism often lack laws requiring compensation for treatment costs, finds an analysis published 30 April in the journal Autism.

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Environment, genetics may contribute equally to autism risk

by  /  22 May 2014

A large study of autism in Swedish families suggests that about half of the risk for autism comes from genetics and the other half from environmental factors, researchers reported 7 May in The Journal of the American Medical Association. However, the mathematical model the study used may not be appropriate for evaluating autism risk, experts say.

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Twin study set to explore autism, attention deficit overlap

by  /  16 May 2014

A Swedish twin study plans to search for the shared genetic and environmental origins of autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, which are often mistaken for each other.

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Analysis finds high rates of gut problems in autism

by  /  15 May 2014

Children with autism are about four times more likely to experience gastrointestinal distress than are their typically developing peers, reports a large review published 28 April in Pediatrics.

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Prenatal antidepressant use may up autism risk in sons

by  /  9 May 2014

Women who take antidepressants such as Prozac while pregnant may increase their sons’ risk of autism and developmental disability, reports a study published 14 April in Pediatrics. But, like other studies before it, the study leaves room for doubt.

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Drug company halts tests of fragile X drug

by  /  6 May 2014

Following disappointing results from two clinical trials, the Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis announced on 24 April that it will stop development of a drug candidate for fragile X syndrome.

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Mothers of children with autism share their sensory problems

by  /  2 May 2014

A small study published 3 April in Molecular Autism has found that 98 percent of mothers of children with autism have unusual responses to sensory stimuli, including light, sound and touch.
 

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