A nerve pathway that links vision and gut response also plays a role in the brain’s reward system. Cell
ASDTests — a proposed app to screen toddlers, children, adolescents and adults for autism — supports 11 languages and could be a “vital tool” for collecting study data. Health Informatics Journal
The brief 10-item AQ-10 scale is adequate for measuring autistic traits in adults, although some of the items are not as useful as others. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Based on data from more than 4 million siblings, genetics and environment contribute in strikingly different proportions to eight brain-related conditions, including autism. Psychological Medicine
Participant opportunity: For a university study in Ireland, people with synesthesia can offer feedback about their experiences via an online survey. Twitter
South Koreans view autism as arising from biological or dietary causes but see attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as having an environmental or social basis. Psychiatry Research
Among autistic adults in Taiwan, as with autistic adults elsewhere, sensory avoidance is associated with increased loneliness and anxiety. Occupational Therapy International
A school-based smart glasses intervention helps children with autism experience less irritability and social withdrawal. Behavioral Sciences
Researchers review the limited literature on drivers with autism and call for specific, effective training programs for people on the spectrum. Behavioural Neurology
Science and society
The Trump administration’s plan to consider welfare services use when making green card application decisions could “threaten the health and well-being of millions of children,” says the American Academy of Pediatrics. American Academy of Pediatrics
The mother of a U.S.-born child with autism presented for a routine check-in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in July and was ordered to return to El Salvador by the end of September — an increasingly common scenario since February 2017. The Guardian
The National Institutes of Health is getting on board with several other U.S. research funding agencies with its plans to beef up its harassment reporting and prevention systems. The Scientist
The strict rules that govern research laboratories present an obstacle to researchers who need their service dogs with them during their workday. The Scientist
A major newspaper featured an opinion column bylined by an autistic man who communicates using the controversial Rapid Prompting Method. The Wall Street Journal
Could virtual-reality-based therapy for movement and other disorders be better than conventional physical therapy? STAT
The Trump administration has canceled a contract related to human fetal tissue samples and called for a review of “all research” that involves human fetal tissue. Nature
A proposed California bill to prevent consumers from accessing their clinical trial data and learning, for example, whether they’re in the placebo group, has the backing of drug companies. STAT
Across the pond, researchers are prepping for the impending Brexit. Nature
Here are some autism-specific techniques that rescuers use when a child on the spectrum goes missing. CNN
If you study human genes, you’re probably playing favorites with the ones you target. Here’s why. The Scientist
Autism and the arts
The anonymous participants in this interview talk about why theater artists on the autism spectrum are a benefit on or off Broadway. Playbill
A new book claiming genetic determinism as the main explanation for human behavior draws a scathing review, with one positive note about neurodiversity. Nature
Publishing
The Cochrane Collaboration board is in disarray after one board member was expelled and several more quit in protest. STAT
Job moves
Jessica Bradshaw is joining the University of South Carolina faculty and will focus on early identification and intervention for autism. University of South Carolina
New Jersey has established a new state autism center at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, to be headed up by Elizabeth Torres of Rutgers-New Brunswick, James Millonig of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Jill Harris of Children’s Specialized Hospital. Rutgers Today
Funding news
A company that develops diagnostic assays has received a $2 million grant from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop an autism-related test based on epigenetic markers. Compelo
Compared with their unfunded peers, early-career researchers who receive NIH funding tend to submit more grant applications and target more funding agencies. PLOS One
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