Spectrum: Autism Research News

Research roundup

• Copy number variations and other identifiable, likely pathogenic, chromosomal anomalies occur in about 21 percent of Han Chinese people with neurodevelopmental conditions, according to a cohort study. npj Genomic Medicine
• Gentle touch promotes social behavior in mice and is mediated by a neural pathway involving tachykinin and oxytocin. Neuron
• Cannabinoids may help treat disruptive behavior in autism, but other medications (fluoxetine, oxytocin and bumetanide) have not proven therapeutic for autism traits, according to a review of recent clinical trials. Current Opinion in Psychiatry
• Children and adolescents in the United States with autism and anxiety have difficulty accessing mental health care, according to parent reports. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics
• With single-cell RNA-seq data, researchers can reduce noise by analyzing the distribution of gene expression for a person and comparing distributions between cases and controls. Genome Biology
• Many factors, including language, cultural differences and training costs, can impede autism screening and diagnosis in low- and middle-income countries. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities
• Autistic people show less response to emotional facial expressions than non-autistic people do, as measured by electroencephalogram responses in somatosensory brain areas. Journal of Neuroscience
• A nasal spray containing Syntocinon, a modified form of oxytocin, appears to lessen autism traits at relatively low doses, according to a clinical trial. Brain
• More than 85 percent of U.S.-based pediatric practices struggle to deliver behavioral health care, according to a national survey. Annals of Family Medicine

Science and society

• Researchers can now post a request to connect and collaborate with autistic people and their families on the International Society for Autism Research Career Center web page. The International Society for Autism Research
• Temple Grandin reveals her preference for the practical over the abstract to address societal problems in a new Q&A. The New York Times
• More than 100 disability advocacy organizations have signed an open letter to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Rochelle Walensky in response to her comments on COVID-19 being more lethal in people with comorbidities. Autistic Self Advocacy Network
• A new index for scientific publications, OpenAlex, has launched; it cross-references authors, journals, institutions and topics. Nature

Job moves

• Autism researcher Micheal Sandbank of the University of Texas at Austin announced her plan to relocate to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill next year. Twitter

Cite this article: https://doi.org/10.53053/RUAX3368