Skip to main content

Spectrum: Autism Research News

Opinion /

Viewpoint

Expert opinions on trends and controversies in autism research.

Previous articles
November 2011

A case for the importance of interneurons in autism

by ,  /  22 November 2011

The etiology of autism may be best understood as an impairment of neuronal circuits, specifically interneurons that dampen signals in the brain, says neuroscientist Gordon Fishell.  

Comments

Fred Volkmar: A decades-long perspective on autism research

by  /  8 November 2011

Over the past 30 years, autism research pioneer Fred Volkmar says he has learned that researchers should be humble when assigning meaning to autism behavior, and seek to translate their findings into useful applications.  

Comments
October 2011

Treatments needed for severe sensory sensitivity

by  /  25 October 2011

There should be more research on sensory sensitivity in autism, which severely affects quality of life, says bestselling author and animal scientist Temple Grandin.

Comments

Dysmorphology as biomarker for the study of autism

by  /  11 October 2011

Individuals who have autism and dysmorphology comprise a distinct subgroup within the disorder, says geneticist Judith Miles. 

Comments
September 2011

Insights for autism from Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease

by  /  27 September 2011

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and autism are both associated with alterations in the number of copies of certain genetic regions, mutations in multiple candidate genes and with both inherited and spontaneous mutations, notes human geneticist James Lupski.

Comments

Vision as gateway for understanding autism

by ,  /  8 September 2011

Impairments in vision, even if they don’t cause autism, are likely to be manifestations of underlying neural abnormalities, says Pawan Sinha, professor of vision and founder of the humanitarian organization Project Prakash.  

Comments
August 2011

How fish can help find causes of autism

by ,  /  29 August 2011

Zebrafish share genes and pathways with humans, making them a useful tool to identify the genes that malfunction in autism, says expert Hazel Sive.

Comments

Fair representation for the fairer sex in autism research

by  /  16 August 2011

Including more females in autism research studies will aid the search for genetic and environmental susceptibility factors for the disorder, says genetic psychiatrist Lauren Weiss.

Comments

Studying autism genetics in special populations

by  /  2 August 2011

The study of any genetic disorder benefits from including the many diverse human populations in our world, and autism should be no different, says geneticist Christopher Walsh.

Comments
July 2011
Neurons

Insights for autism from Angelman syndrome

by , ,  /  19 July 2011

Deletions or duplications of the UBE3A gene lead to both Angelman syndrome and some cases of autism, respectively. Studying the effects of altered gene dosage in this region will provide insights into brain defects and suggest targets for therapies for both disorders, says expert Benjamin Philpot.

Comments

Browse Articles by Topic

Click on the arrows or swipe to view topics.
  • Genes

    Genes

  • The Brain

    The Brain

  • Diagnosis

    Diagnosis

  • Signs and Symptoms

    Signs & Symptoms

  • Treatments

    Treatments

  • Environment

    Environment

  • Science and Society

    Science & Society