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Spectrum: Autism Research News

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Diagnosis

Diagnosing autism is an evolving science but a crucial first step to understanding the disorder.

July 2023
A slice of a cerebellum

Mutation in top autism-linked gene may alter eye reflex

by  /  7 July 2023

The discovery could help clinicians diagnose children who carry mutations in the gene, called SCN2A, and gauge their responses to potential therapies.

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Portrait of Ashura Buckley.

The sleep/wake cycle and autism with Ashura Buckley

by  /  1 July 2023

The NIH neurologist talks about her research, her family and how mental health labels can be limiting.

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June 2023
Portrait photograph of Donald Triplett against a black background.

Donald Triplett, autism’s ‘Case 1,’ dies at 89

by  /  20 June 2023

Triplett gained media attention for his autism later in life, and he became the face of the effort to research the lives of older adults with autism.

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Photograph of a mother with her child in a hallway waiting for an appointment.

Average autism diagnosis delayed by more than two years

by  /  16 June 2023

The findings may explain why the average age at diagnosis has plateaued at 4 years old.

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Dorothy Bishop stands in a dark room wearing a turquoise shirt.

Retraction, She Wrote: Dorothy Bishop’s life after research

by  /  12 June 2023

A renowned researcher’s eye for detail has given her a second career and a new following.

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A man looks out the window

New estimate suggests most autistic adults in England lack a formal diagnosis

by  /  9 June 2023

The finding underscores a need for adult autism diagnostic services.

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A researcher works with a young child.

Two scientists, two interventions: A ‘gentle rivalry’ to aid autistic children

by  /  2 June 2023

Minimally verbal autistic preschoolers gained new words and phrases in a head-to-head comparison of two interventions.

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May 2023
Collage of multiple figures on a hillside looking at a large blue book in the distance.

Debate remains over changes in DSM-5 a decade on

by  /  31 May 2023

Changes to the DSM-5’s diagnostic criteria for autism were meant to add clarity, but they also generated new questions.

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A father and son play with a wooden toy horse on the floor.

Autism intervention before age 2 may aid social, language skills

by  /  16 May 2023

Autistic toddlers who receive a personalized intervention at about 18 months of age gain more abilities than those who start the therapy nine months later.

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April 2023
Closeup photograph of an infant lying in a bassinet under white sheets with their left hand lifted close to their ear.

New technique details brainstem’s response to sounds

by  /  4 April 2023

By revealing differences between autistic and non-autistic children, it could help identify autism in babies.

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