Skip to main content

Spectrum: Autism Research News

Tag: social difficulties

October 2019

Mock flu triggers changes in brain, behavior of monkeys

by  /  20 October 2019

Marmosets exposed to a mock infection in the womb have altered vocal development and diminished social interest; exposed macaques show changes in brain structure and function.

Comments
red beating heart, in see-through person

Getting at the heart of autism

by  /  9 October 2019

Cardiac activity could reveal autism’s physiology and confirm a hunch many clinicians share: that people with autism experience great stress.

Comments
September 2019
row of babies playing with toys that look like genome sequence

Studies of tuberous sclerosis may shed light on biology of autism

by  /  24 September 2019

Tuberous sclerosis provides a unique opportunity to understand autism because about half of people with that single-gene condition also have autism.

Comments

DNA deletion boosts odds of autism, especially in girls

by  /  2 September 2019

The loss of 21 genes on chromosome 3 may substantially raise the risk of autism.

Comments
August 2019
Woman with autism hears social noise, but is soothed by the sounds of a lullaby

Brain-body connection may ease autistic people’s social problems

by  /  20 August 2019

An auditory therapy may improve autistic people’s emotional control and help them feel safe enough to engage with the world.

Comments
July 2019
Adults in a waiting room, a man talks to a nurse or doctor in medical setting

How autistic people use compensatory strategies to cope with daily life

In a large survey, autistic adults from around the world described their experiences of using psychological strategies to fit in.

Comments
Mom and toddler looking at a red toy car

Eye tracking reveals early communication problem in autistic children

by  /  18 July 2019

At 10 months of age, infants later diagnosed with autism show key differences in joint attention, a behavior in which two people focus on the same object or event.

Comments
boy isolated from social crowd

For autistic children, emotional problems may hinder social success

by ,  /  16 July 2019

Although many children with autism want to engage with peers, their emotional difficulties often get in the way of their relationships.

Comments
June 2019
Micrograph of fecal bacteria

Study of microbiome’s importance in autism triggers swift backlash

by  /  27 June 2019

Many scientists have pointed out possible errors of analysis and interpretation in a high-profile study that suggested microbes can ease autism-like behaviors in mice.

Comments
fMRIs of monkey brains in a grid of 6 show highlighted areas.

Monkeys with autism mutation show condition’s key traits

by  /  12 June 2019

Researchers have engineered two generations of monkeys with mutations in SHANK3, a top autism gene. The first generation shows traits reminiscent of the condition.

Comments