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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Tag: biomarkers

August 2019
Spiral DNA against a dark background

Patterns of DNA tags mark candidate genes for autism

by  /  15 August 2019

Children with autism who carry mutations in the chromosomal region 16p11.2 or the gene CHD8 — two of the leading risk factors for autism — show distinct patterns of chemical tags on their DNA.

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July 2019
Machine accepts chaotic data flow and puts it back out in an organized flow from the other side

Un ordinateur peut-il diagnostiquer l’autisme?

by  /  30 July 2019

L’apprentissage automatique (machine learning) présente une possibilité pour aider les cliniciens à repérer l'autisme plus tôt, mais des obstacles techniques et éthiques demeurent.

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How the social hormone vasopressin might help autistic people

by  /  9 July 2019

A drug that mimics the hormone vasopressin improves social skills in autistic people — but so does one that blocks vasopressin’s effects. How can seemingly opposing manipulations produce similar results?

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Can we ‘see’ autism in the brain?

by  /  2 July 2019

We asked five autism researchers to weigh in on whether there is a unique brain signature for autism and, if so, how to identify it.

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June 2019
medical personnel with a swab test in a vial.

Doubts precede saliva test for autism, set to be available by July

by  /  19 June 2019

A saliva test that helps clinicians diagnose autism is expected to be available in the next few weeks. But some experts are skeptical of the test’s accuracy and value.

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May 2019
Hands touching, showing nerves highlighted in different parts of the hand.

How ‘social touch’ shapes autism traits

by  /  29 May 2019

Autistic people have unusual responses to ‘affective touch,’ which conveys social and emotional information. Their responses may reveal how autism begins.

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Nerves that control heart rate may be offbeat in autistic adults

by  /  17 May 2019

Adults with autism have a resting heartbeat that rarely varies in frequency, a tendency that may explain some aspects of the condition.

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Man and woman portraits on a 'family tree'

What the ‘broad spectrum’ can teach us about autism

by  /  15 May 2019

The relatives of autistic people often have mild traits of the condition. Studying these family members could broaden our understanding of autism.

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mother talking to a baby on bed

Signs of autism may be heard early in infancy

by  /  4 May 2019

Autistic infants as young as 4 months may have fewer verbal exchanges with their caregivers than their peers do.

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Gaze patterns in toddlers may predict autism

by  /  2 May 2019

The gaze of children as young as 16 months old may help predict whether they have autism and reveal finer-grained details, such as their verbal and social abilities.

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