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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Tag: diagnostic tests

January 2012

Tony Charman: Longitudinal studies for autism research

by  /  24 January 2012

Clinicians and autism researchers should learn the early signs of autism and take into account an individual’s developmental trajectory, says Tony Charman.

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Studies shore up proposed guidelines for autism diagnosis

by  /  12 January 2012

Two new studies support the idea that the core symptoms of autism cluster into two categories — social communication, and repetitive and stereotyped behavior — rather than the traditional triad of deficits in communication, problems with social reciprocity, and rigid thoughts and behaviors.

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A family on a walk.

Clinical research: Autism threshold higher in girls than boys

by  /  11 January 2012

Girls may have a higher threshold for the genetic abnormalities that lead to autism than boys do, according to a new study in the January issue of the American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B.  

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The value of blood cells in autism research

by  /  10 January 2012

Blood from individuals with autism could help researchers identify biomarkers to diagnose the disorder and learn more about related symptoms, such as gastrointestinal complaints, says molecular biologist Valerie Hu.

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December 2011

Quick test for fragile X may be ideal for developing nations

by  /  21 December 2011

Dried spots of blood taken from infants at birth can help clinicians screen for fragile X syndrome in countries with limited resources, according to a study published 11 October in Genetic Testing and Molecular Biomarkers.

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November 2011

Autism tests struggle to balance accuracy and speed

by  /  8 November 2011

Two studies published in the past month highlight the challenges in balancing the accuracy of autism diagnosis with cost-effectiveness and speed.

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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.  

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October 2011

Machine-learning tool offers rapid autism diagnosis

by  /  27 October 2011

A five-minute online questionnaire can diagnose autism with as much accuracy as the so-called gold standard diagnostic tests, according to unpublished findings presented Tuesday at the Autism Consortium 2011 symposium in Boston.

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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. 

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Clinical research: Parents share some autism traits

by  /  4 October 2011

Individuals who have multiple children with autism have more severe social and communication deficits than either controls or those who have only one child with autism.

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