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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Tag: diagnosis

June 2011

Clinical research: Photographs reveal unusual physical features

by  /  21 June 2011

Photographs that reveal minor physical abnormalities often seen in children with autism or other developmental disabilities could be useful as a first screen for autism, according to a study published 24 May in Autism.

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The case against caution

by  /  17 June 2011

A new opinion piece argues that the risks of early screening for autism outweigh the benefits. But the article does a poor job of articulating what these risks might be, instead focusing only on the fact that there are few good options available to children after their diagnosis.

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Diagnostic brain scans: hope or hype?

by  /  16 June 2011

In the past year, several studies have suggested that brain scans will soon help clinicians diagnose autism. But many experts say these scans are far from — and may never be — ready for use as diagnostic tests.

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Altered development

by  /  14 June 2011

Developmental disorders increased by 17 percent between 1997 and 2008 in the U.S, according to a report published 6 June. Is this cause for alarm, or a sign that we are at last assessing the true rate for these disorders?

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Solving the complex causes of a multi-hit disorder

by ,  /  7 June 2011

What’s known about the genetics of autism supports the ‘snowflake’ hypothesis — that the molecular underpinnings of disease are essentially unique from individual to individual — says human geneticist Brett Abrahams.

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May 2011

Generation gap

by  /  27 May 2011

Parents see more benefits to a diagnosis of autism than their affected children do — perhaps unsurprising, given young people’s overwhelming desire to fit in with their peers.

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Isabelle Rapin: Lessons from my clinic

by  /  24 May 2011

Autism is diagnosed based on the severity and variety of its symptoms. This makes it very difficult to diagnose and easy to confuse with other disorders, such as language delay and intellectual disability, cautions Isabelle Rapin.

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Brain overgrowth may drive early symptoms of autism

by  /  16 May 2011

Long bundles of neurons that connect key regions in the brain develop abnormally in the first year of life in children with autism, according to new findings presented Friday at the International Meeting for Autism Research in San Diego.

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Study finds high rate of autism in South Korea

by  /  11 May 2011

The first comprehensive autism study in South Korea has found that the prevalence of the disorder is more than double the number in the United States.

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Promises and limitations of mouse models of autism

by  /  10 May 2011

Good mouse models of autism, and accurate tests to assay their phenotypes, are key to both narrowing down a cause and developing effective treatments, argues expert Jacqueline Crawley.

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