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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Tag: serotonin

December 2019
A single ecstasy pill on a blue background.

Distinct brain pathway underlies ecstasy’s social effects

by  /  11 December 2019

The drug popularly known as ecstasy may boost sociability through brain circuits distinct from that underlying its ‘high.’

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May 2019
Brown and black mice in a cage, socializing

Drug may deliver ‘ecstasy’ of social interactions to autistic people

by  /  23 May 2019

The ability to learn from social experiences wanes by adulthood, at least in mice — but the recreational drug ecstasy may bring it back.

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Illustration of red figures on a big blue brain are serotonin signaling

Serotonin’s link to autism, explained

by  /  1 May 2019

Serotonin, the brain chemical best known for its link to depression, may also be involved in autism.

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December 2018
DNA helix shows blue spots as mutations.

Five hot topics in autism research in 2018

by  /  21 December 2018

This year, researchers made big headway on autism’s most perplexing questions.

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October 2018
A woman helps her son put on his shoe.

Autism severity in children tracks with mothers’ serotonin levels

by  /  31 October 2018

Women whose children are severely autistic have lower serotonin levels than do those whose children have mild or moderate autism traits.

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August 2018
One gray mouse sniffs another in an enclosure.

Study revives serotonin as target for autism treatments

by  /  8 August 2018

Boosting the levels of the chemical messenger serotonin makes mice that model autism more social — and brings new hope to a shelved theory in autism.

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July 2017

Antidepressant eases some autism features in mice

by  /  28 July 2017

A drug that keeps neurons bathed in the chemical messenger serotonin prevents social abnormalities in a mouse model of dup15q syndrome.

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Week of JulyJul
17th
2017

Valproate ban; hearing voices; adult autism and more

by  /  21 July 2017

A movement to ban valproate during pregnancy gains a foothold in France, people with auditory hallucinations seek to demedicalize the experience, and adults on the spectrum speak out.

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June 2017
Week of JuneJun
19th
2017

Fathering geeks; GWAS weaknesses; Prozac protection and more

by  /  23 June 2017

Paternal age drives ‘geek index’ scores, GWAS may have a big weakness, serotonin boosts mouse social behaviors, and what is science Tinder?

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April 2017

Trio of studies cast doubt on link between autism, antidepressants

by  /  18 April 2017

Increased autism risk among children exposed to antidepressants in utero may be related less to the medications than to the mothers’ depression.

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