Spectrum: Autism Research News

Research roundup

• People with FOXP1 syndrome, which is characterized by intellectual disability and developmental delay, may also have autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and anxiety. Molecular Autism
• Twin pairs in which one twin is autistic had more obstetric complications than non-autistic twin pairs, according to a new meta-analysis, although complicated births and autism may share underlying familial factors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry
• Taking acetaminophen during pregnancy is linked to having a child with a neurodevelopmental condition, such as attention deficit disorder or autism, according to a review of 25 years of research. Spectrum covered some of that research in 2019. The Conversation
• People with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, which is linked to schizophrenia and autism, may have a leaky blood-brain barrier, according to findings in a lab-grown model system. Cells
• Children with tuberous sclerosis have different electroencephalogram profiles depending on whether they have mutations in the TCS1 or TCS2 gene, and these profiles correlate with autism traits. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology
• Mice missing the autism-linked CNTNAP2 gene have altered sensory processing and altered neuronal firing in the cerebellum. eNeuro
• Exome sequencing is a useful diagnostic tool in real-world clinical settings, according to a report from Israel. Scientific Reports

Science and society

• A 10-year plan to improve the lives of autistic people in Scotland has spurred some improvements, but 72 percent of autistic people and their families still have unmet needs in care, education and employment. National Autistic Society
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has lifted its hold on GTX-102, an experimental drug treatment for Angelman syndrome, after its makers agreed to test lower doses. Spectrum covered the pause last year and the restart this week. BioPharma Dive
• The coronavirus pandemic has spurred changes that disability advocates have long fought for and has raised new hope that these protections may broaden to benefit those who don’t identify as disabled. The New York Times
• Too often, neuroscience studies use only male participants or animals, based on outdated and faulty beliefs that data collected in females are more variable. Spectrum reported on including female animals in autism research in 2015. The Scientist
• YouTube has expanded its crackdown on COVID-19 vaccine misinformation to include a ban on videos containing vaccine falsehoods, such as those about autism. Disability Scoop
• Four disabled researchers share their strategies for working in an ableist world. Nature
• Paying research participants is not the only nor the best way to increase recruitment, writes the chief medical officer of a data analysis firm. STAT
• Cryo-Cell International, a cord-blood bank company working with Duke University, has plans to open infusion centers to sell its so-far-unproven stem cell therapy to autistic children. Spectrum has covered the controversy over stem cells for autism at length and reported on equivocal clinical trial results from Duke last year. Vice

Cite this article: https://doi.org/10.53053/ZYJP4782