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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Tag: motor skills

February 2012

Clinical research: Mice model Rett syndrome’s heart symptoms

by  /  10 February 2012

Mice engineered to carry a Rett syndrome mutation only in neurons are prone to an irregular heartbeat that can lead to sudden death, according to a study published 14 December in Science Translational Medicine.

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Insights for autism from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

by  /  7 February 2012

Autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder show genetic and neurobiological overlap, which may provide clues to the origin of both disorders, says Joel Nigg.

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Clinical research: Two compounds treat Rett syndrome in mice

by  /  1 February 2012

Two compounds that enhance the activity of BDNF, a protein needed for the growth of neurons, improve motor skills in mouse models of Rett syndrome and increase the mice’s lifespan.

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November 2011

A case for the importance of interneurons in autism

by ,  /  22 November 2011

The etiology of autism may be best understood as an impairment of neuronal circuits, specifically interneurons that dampen signals in the brain, says neuroscientist Gordon Fishell.  

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Motor problems key feature of autism, family study suggests

by  /  21 November 2011

In families that have at least one child with autism, significant motor impairments crop up in most children with the disorder and hardly any of their unaffected siblings, according to a study published 19 October in Autism.

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Folate low in spinal fluid of children with autism, study says

by  /  17 November 2011

A small fraction of young children with autism have low levels of folate, a B vitamin, in their cerebrospinal fluid, according to unpublished research presented at the 2011 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

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Optogenetics method moves into monkeys

by  /  14 November 2011

Researchers can delay a monkey’s reaching movement by shining a beam of light into its brain, according to unpublished research presented at a poster session Sunday at the 2011 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

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Motor problems in autism move into research focus

by  /  3 November 2011

Many children with autism have a range of motor issues — such as head lag, floppy arms and difficulty sitting up — beginning in the first few months of life, according to an emerging body of work.

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October 2011

Mouse vs. mouse

by  /  21 October 2011

A new study describes a mutant mouse that, despite missing an autism-linked gene, doesn’t show any autism-like behaviors.

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Growth factor improves autism symptoms in mice

by  /  19 October 2011

Mice lacking a copy of SHANK3, a gene associated with autism and intellectual disability, show marked improvements in brain signaling after being treated with insulin-like growth factor 1, according to unpublished findings presented Saturday at the International Congress of Human Genetics in Montreal, Canada.

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