Spectrum: Autism Research News

Research roundup

• Autistic adults define autistic burnout as a debilitating condition distinct from depression and non-autistic burnout, according to a new study. Autism
• Differences in brain structures can be correlated with social-communication problems in people with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Cerebral Cortex
• Women on the spectrum have strengths and challenges as parents, according to a new study. Spectrum reported on autistic parents, and the dearth of research about them, in 2017. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
• Studying the relationship between local dopamine signaling and widespread neural activity may provide insight into the altered brain activity seen in people with autism or other psychiatric conditions. Science Advances
• Neuroscience research in Africa, home to the greatest human genetic diversity, is in its infancy and is largely funded by the United States and the United Kingdom. Nature Communications
  

  Foreign funding: Research support for neuroscience research in Africa comes mostly from non-African countries.

• Autistic transgender adolescents seem to have more internalizing behaviors, which are associated with depression and anxiety, than do non-autistic transgender or autistic cisgender adolescents. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology
• Preschoolers on the spectrum tend not to pay much attention to pointing gestures, either intentional or incidental. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology
• The protein produced by CDH11, an autism-related gene, appears to play key roles in the development of neural circuitry. eNeuro

Science and society

• The U.S. National Institutes of Health has renewed efforts to reduce funding disparities for racial and ethnic minority researchers. STAT
• Researchers in Australia are testing whether addressing anxiety in autistic children can help them flourish at school. ABC News
• Workplace changes instituted to benefit employees with autism, such as having clearly articulated rationales for policies and procedures, often benefit all employees. Spend Matters
• Some New Jersey school districts have unusually high rates of autistic students. Asbury Park Press