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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Tag: attention

February 2023
A young girl sits on the couch biting her thumb.

Children with autism and ADHD often have additional mental health conditions

by  /  10 February 2023

The dual diagnosis frequently co-occurs with anxiety, depression and developmental and language delays.

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February 2022
Illustration of hybrid objects: part light bulb, part lab vial, some in blue and some in red to signify null and replicated results

Null and Noteworthy: Autism and aging, anorexia overlaps, pregnancy effects

by  /  10 February 2022

In this edition of Null and Noteworthy, researchers replicate encouraging findings on autism and aging and shoot down a host of potential links between pregnancy complications and having a child with autism.

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December 2021

Trends in autism research 2021

 /  23 December 2021

As 2021 comes to a close, Spectrum recaps some of the biggest trends in autism science this year: studies of sex differences, noncoding regions of the genome and points of convergence, as well as efforts to improve screening and participatory research.

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Myelin loss may explain how autism-linked DNA deletion affects cognition

by  /  8 December 2021

Deleting a copy of the gene TBX1 depletes the fatty myelin insulation that surrounds neurons and reduces cognitive speed in mice.

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November 2021
Illustration shows a cartoon-like simple figure made out of a switchboard, with colorful cables converging on an area deep in the brain.

Brain’s sensory switchboard has complex connections to autism

by  /  15 November 2021

An atypical thalamus may underlie not only sensory issues in autism but also difficulties with social skills, attention and memory.

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October 2021
Annimation of eye tracking application following the pupil in a man's eye.

Web app tracks pupil size in people, mice

by  /  8 October 2021

The app relies on artificial intelligence and could help researchers standardize studies of pupil differences in autistic people and in mouse models of autism.

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May 2021
Two women making eye contact while talking with each other.

Social attention shows sex difference in autism

by  /  14 May 2021

Autistic boys and men are less attuned to social stimuli than autistic girls and women are, according to new unpublished work.

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Boy in front of colorful constellation or universe, studying the realms of outer space.

The benefits of special interests in autism

by  /  12 May 2021

Researchers are studying how the intense passions of autistic people shape the brain, improve well-being and enhance learning.

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Baby in mother's lap watching her mouth move as she talks.

Infant siblings of autistic children miss language-learning clues

by  /  6 May 2021

So-called ‘baby sibs’ watch adults’ faces just as much as children without autistic siblings do, but they don’t understand spoken language as well.

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Virtual-reality system tracks eye gaze in real-world settings

by  /  5 May 2021

A new eye-tracking program for VR headsets captures nuanced aspects of social attention in autistic people.

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