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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Tag: intellectual disability

December 2020
Depressed teenager sitting on floor in darkened hallway.

Co-occurring psychiatric conditions put autistic people at risk for self-harm

by  /  11 December 2020

Autistic people are at an increased risk for intentional self-harm and death by suicide, but co-occurring psychiatric conditions may drive those behaviors.

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Paper DNA with one torn base to signify a point mutation.

Analysis links 98 genes to neurodevelopmental conditions

by  /  10 December 2020

Genetic sequences from nearly 53,000 people with autism, developmental delay or intellectual disability reveal strong ties to 98 genes.

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Cells transporting NCKAP1 protein in and out of nucleus

Rare variants tied to neuronal migration, autism traits

by  /  4 December 2020

Many people with mutations in the NCKAP1 gene have autism or autism traits, according to a new study spanning seven countries.

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November 2020
MRIs show changes over time

Big brain may mark subtype of autism

by  /  27 November 2020

Autistic boys with large brains in early childhood still have large brains in adolescence, challenging the long-standing idea that brain enlargement in autism is temporary.

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SYNGAP1 protein between neurons.

Reactions from the 2020 SYNGAP1 Scientific Conference

by  /  25 November 2020

Spectrum is covering the 2020 International SYNGAP1 Scientific Conference, which took place virtually because of the coronavirus pandemic. Here we’re highlighting researchers’ reactions to noteworthy presentations.

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Mother affectionately hugging young son.

Inheritance plays different roles in autism with and without intellectual disability

by  /  19 November 2020

Autism with intellectual disability is less heritable than autism alone, according to a new study of how the conditions run in extended families.

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Test gauges autistic children’s verbal abilities in natural settings

by  /  18 November 2020

An interactive assessment allows clinicians and researchers to evaluate an autistic child’s use of language in everyday social situations.

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September 2020
Children scattered around a grid with a beam counting them

Autism prevalence in the United States, explained

by  /  3 September 2020

The bulk of the increase in autism prevalence stems from a growing awareness of the condition and changes to the diagnostic criteria.

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August 2020
Young patient getting diagnosis from doctor.

Diagnosis timeline drags for Black autistic children

by  /  24 August 2020

High rates of intellectual disability among Black autistic children may reflect diagnostic delays.

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Young child getting an asthma treatment from a doctor

Asthma common among children with autism, developmental disabilities

by  /  7 August 2020

A new survey shows that children with autism or other developmental disabilities in the United States are at least twice as likely to have asthma as their neurotypical peers are.

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