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Spectrum: Autism Research News

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Conversations on the science of autism research.

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Building bridges: Collaboration across the autism community

by ,  /  24 October 2023

An autistic person and the mother of an autistic child explore partnership in the autism community.

A patient receives transcranial magnetic stimulation

Magnetic stimulation for autism: Q&A with Xujun Duan

by  /  11 September 2023
A new individualized approach to transcranial magnetic stimulation may one day be an effective treatment for social and communication difficulties, if the results from Duan’s small preliminary trial pan out.
Justin West holding his son.

Progress amid setbacks in drug trials for rare forms of epilepsy: Q&A with Justin West

by  /  30 August 2023
Despite grave side effects, it’s vital to keep developing treatments for rare genetic forms of childhood epilepsy, says West, president of the KCNT1 Epilepsy Foundation and father of a son with the condition.
Young child stacks colored blocks on a table.

High prevalence of developmental delay strains Australia’s support systems

by  /  1 September 2023
The nation needs to build capacity to support the roughly 20 percent of children in Australia who have developmental delay.

Latest Opinion

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The future of autism therapies: A conversation with Lilia Iakoucheva and Derek Hong

by  /  14 April 2023

If a therapy for autism’s core traits makes it to market, it will likely take one of three forms, the researchers say.

A row of magazines against the wall with many adhesive notes stuck between their pages.

Journal club: Does lithium in drinking water contribute to autism?

by  /  11 April 2023

A study published in JAMA Pediatrics suggests that autism is more common among people born in areas with high levels of lithium in drinking water, but it is too soon to say whether prenatal lithium exposure is truly a concern.

Illustration of a single patient in a clinical trial sitting on a bed in a glitchy, imperfectly rendered room.

Lessons from n-of-1 trials: A conversation with Joseph Gleeson

by  /  30 March 2023

Some conditions are too rare for conventional drug trials, leading some scientists to test bespoke treatments in single participants. Gleeson discusses the merits — and limitations — of these tiny trials.

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Detecting a signal amid noise in autism early-intervention research

by , ,  /  28 March 2023

Studies of behavioral treatments for autism are complex and can easily be misunderstood. Here we provide some guidance.

Three groups of people meet and mix at a crossroads.

Letter to the editor: Researchers must bridge disconnect at ‘autism crossroads’

Two groups of researchers respond to Spectrum’s article about the power struggle among researchers, self-advocates and families, calling on their autistic and non-autistic colleagues to work collaboratively and promote equity in autism research.

Photograph of a doctor taking notes on a toddler who is playing with their mother.

Journal Club: Meta-analysis oversells popular autism screen

by  /  14 March 2023

The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) accurately flags autistic toddlers, a new systematic review and meta-analysis suggests, contrary to past evidence that the tool’s validity varies depending on a child’s age and traits. Experts weigh in on the discrepancy.

Illustration of a person holding the end of a thread that has trapped them within concentric circles while another person picks up the other end of the thread and begins to follow it.

People who need people: Leveraging desire for connection to address suicide in autism

by  /  7 March 2023

There are a variety of suicide interventions designed to improve social connection that could be adapted for autistic people, but first the field must work to dismantle the damaging and inaccurate notion that autistic people are uninterested in social interaction.

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Private equity harms autism service market

by  /  1 March 2023

Time is running out to expose this disreputable push for profit over care and change insurance, funding and training practices for the better.

MRI scan of a 2-year-old child.

Mapping genetic influences on the infant brain: A chat with Rebecca Knickmeyer

by  /  27 February 2023

Researchers know little about the ways genetic variants affect development in the infant brain. Knickmeyer, who launched the Organization for Imaging Genomics in Infancy, has spent the past five years trying to close the gap.

A group of children walk up stairs

Filling autism knowledge gaps in Latin America: Q&A with Cecilia Montiel-Nava

by  /  13 February 2023

Countries across Latin America and the Caribbean struggle to collect data on autism, but Cecilia Montiel-Nava and the Latin American Autism Spectrum Network are beginning to change that.

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