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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Spotted around the web: Week of 18 March 2019

by  /  22 March 2019

WEEK OF
March 18th

Research roundup

  • Low-income and minority youth with autism have more limited access to services and experience greater difficulty in communication, self-care and adaptive behaviors than their typical peers do. National Autism Indicators Report
  • Depression and suicidal thoughts have increased among teenagers and young adults in the United States in the past decade. Journal of Abnormal Psychology
  • Visits to the emergency department for psychiatric issues are on the rise among adolescents in the U.S. Pediatrics
  • Children with autism or intellectual disabilities do not have unusually low vitamin D levels at birth. Autism Research
  • Many of the proteins and biological signals that the body produces during the first week of life may help newborns develop a strong immune system. Nature Communications
  • Among toddlers at high risk for autism, those with impaired social and emotional functioning are more likely to be diagnosed with the condition. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
  • Scientists have identified hot spots in the genetic code that are linked to autoimmune, metabolic and cognitive conditions. Genome Biology and Evolution
  • In nematode worms, chemical modifications to DNA in sperm are passed on to offspring, influencing gene expression in and development of the next generation. Nature Communications
  • An analysis of anti-vaccination comments on a pediatric clinic’s Facebook post revealed four areas of concern doctors can address with parents who resist vaccines. Vaccine

Science and society

  • A federal judge has denied parents’ request to let unvaccinated children return to school amid a measles outbreak in Rockland County, New York. The New York Times
  • ‘Gag clauses’ and ‘information blocking’ have prevented researchers from addressing the safety concerns and medical errors often found in electronic health records. Kaiser Health News
  • Finding the genetic underpinnings of neurodevelopmental conditions has not always decreased the stigma around them. Wired
  • Scientists are using multi-photon microscopy to study neurons deep in the mammalian brain without damaging any cells. NIH Director’s Blog
  • American comedian Amy Schumer revealed that her husband was diagnosed with autism while they were dating. Women’s Health
  • Young refugees in the U.S. may be transferred to one of a number of ‘secret shelters’ if they have mental-health challenges. Reveal
  • The newly-established African-American Neuroscience Research Initiative seeks to increase representation of minority groups in clinical trials and close the gaps in treatment. Baltimore Sun
  • A World Health Organization advisory committee is recommending that all studies involving human DNA editing be listed in a global registry. STAT
  • Schools across the U.S. are introducing swimming programs for autistic individuals in an effort to decrease the number of accidental deaths by drowning. The Philadelphia Inquirer
  • Changes to the diagnostic criteria for autism, adopted in 2013, have led to fewer autism diagnoses, according to a meta-analysis. Disability Scoop

Autism and the arts

  • An Ohio State University program gives autistic students the opportunity to create and direct their own short films. The Lantern