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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Author

Peter Hess

Former News Writer

Peter Hess was a reporter for Spectrum from 2019 to 2023, where he covered cannabinoids, autism prevalence, social hormones and other topics. Before joining Spectrum in 2019, he was associate science editor at Inverse, where he wrote and edited stories for a broad audience on a wide range of scientific topics, including drugs, evolution and environmental science. His work has also appeared in The Washington PostNew ScientistPopular Science and Motherboard. Peter has an M.A. in science journalism from New York University’s Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program. Find him on Twitter at @PeterNHess.

February 2020
Young black man in inpatient psychiatric care facility

Study points to racial disparities among hospitalized autistic children

by  /  24 February 2020

Black children with autism who are hospitalized for psychiatric problems are more impaired than their white peers. Socioeconomic factors may explain the difference.

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Increase in intelligence scores may not alter autism traits

by  /  4 February 2020

People with autism show significant improvements in cognitive ability from age 12 to 23 years, but their autism traits remain stable over this time.

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January 2020
neurons firing in black and white

Brain organoids may shed light on seizures in Angelman syndrome

by  /  22 January 2020

The mutation that causes Angelman syndrome makes neurons hyperexcitable, which may explain the frequent seizures that most people with the syndrome have.

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Studies find thin evidence for early autism therapies

by  /  15 January 2020

Few of the most popular early treatments for autism are supported by strong evidence, according to two new studies.

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December 2019
map shows autism prevalence over time

Autism prevalence estimates for Catalonia, Iran highlight gaps in data

by  /  18 December 2019

The first rigorous estimate of autism in Catalonia, Spain, has found a prevalence on par with that in the United States; an independent study in Iran, meanwhile, has found a prevalence that lags far behind.

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Pediatrician with big baby and parent

New U.S. autism guidelines call for early treatment

by  /  16 December 2019

The American Academy of Pediatrics has, for the first time in 12 years, overhauled its recommendations for identifying and supporting autistic children.

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a young girl has her height measured by a woman

Top autism gene tied to unusual skull, skeletal growth

by  /  12 December 2019

People with mutations in CHD8, a top autism gene, tend to be tall and have large heads.

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Large genome sequence in blues and purple

Human reference genome gains global diversity

by  /  6 December 2019

A new reference genome includes sequences collected from people around the globe, plugging major gaps in the current one.

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Two sides of a 3D human brain showing different areas highlighted in various colors

Brains of autistic people show unusual left-right symmetry

by  /  4 December 2019

The hemispheres in autistic people’s brains are more symmetrical than those of their typical peers, but it is unclear what this difference means.

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November 2019

Acetaminophen use in pregnancy linked to autism, attention deficit in children

by  /  28 November 2019

Pregnant women’s use of acetaminophen may increase the odds of autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in their children.

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