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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Tag: emotion processing

June 2011

Interactive virtual reality system teaches social skills

by  /  22 June 2011

A virtual reality system equipped with an eye-tracking device helps teenagers with autism learn to engage with others, according to a study published 23 May.

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May 2011

Boy talk

by  /  31 May 2011

Female-to-male transsexuals show more traits associated with autism than typical males or females, though the reasons for this link remain unclear.

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Trendsetters

by  /  6 May 2011

Of 72 newly elected members of the National Academy of Sciences, 7 work either directly on autism or in related areas, illustrating the growing intellectual breadth and depth of the field.

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April 2011

Cognition and behavior: Brain response to faces could signal autism

by  /  27 April 2011

At 12 months of age, infant siblings of children with autism have a brain response to unfamiliar faces that is characteristic of typical children at a younger age, according to a study published 26 March in Brain Topography. This developmental delay could be used as an early biomarker for autism.

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Odd men out

by  /  26 April 2011

Animal research hints that sex hormones may be responsible for the gender bias in autism. More research is needed in people to back this up, says a new review.

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Uta Frith: Why I am obsessed with this cognitive thing

by  /  26 April 2011

No matter which of the numerous genetic and environmental risk factors has caused autism, the part of the system that is always affected is most likely to be found at the cognitive level, argues Uta Frith, a leader in the field of cognitive neuroscience.

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An ape with ‘autism’

by  /  15 April 2011

Similarities between us and our closest ape relatives — chimpanzees and bonobos — have shaped our understanding of what it means to be human. The latest surprise is Teco, a young bonobo who shows behaviors that look suspiciously similar to those associated with autism.

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March 2011

Cognition and behavior: Study defends mirror neuron theory of autism

by  /  25 March 2011

Activity in the mirror neuron system may improve with age in people who have autism, according to a study published in February in Biological Psychiatry. The finding could help resolve contradictory reports on the involvement of mirror neurons in the disorder.

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Scientists zap anxiety circuit in mice

by  /  23 March 2011

By shining a beam of light on a single brain circuit, researchers can compel mice to overcome their natural fears and boldly explore a new space, according to a study published 9 March in Nature.

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Leisure activities

by  /  22 March 2011

Adults with autism benefit in many ways from choosing their own activities: A new study says they get better at decision-making and their social skills improve.

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