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Spectrum: Autism Research News

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Environment

From parental age to infection during pregnancy, environmental elements can influence autism risk.

June 2016

Mom’s immune markers flag autism with intellectual disability

by  /  20 June 2016

Pregnant women with elevated levels of certain immune molecules are at increased risk of having a child with both autism and intellectual disability.

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May 2016

Weak immune response in women may up autism risk in children

by  /  27 May 2016

High levels of an inflammatory protein in pregnant women may lower the risk of autism in their children.

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Mutations that arise in aging sperm add little to autism risk

by  /  23 May 2016

The mutations that men accumulate in their sperm as they age don’t account for most of their increased risk of having a child with autism.

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Prenatal infection may alter behavior in generations of mice

by  /  12 May 2016

Triggering immune defenses in pregnant mice leads to autism-like behaviors not only in their pups, but also in the following generations.

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April 2016

Pesticide effect on cells may resemble signs of autism

by  /  4 April 2016

A class of fungicides used on crops can produce changes in mouse brain cells that look similar to those seen in people with autism.

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March 2016

Bits of bacteria may change brains of fetal mice

by  /  31 March 2016

Bacterial fragments can cross the placenta of a pregnant mouse into the brains of her developing pups, leading to a surplus of neurons in the pups.

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Taking meds during pregnancy brings autism risk, benefits

by  /  10 March 2016

Studies link taking antidepressants, acetaminophen and some asthma drugs during pregnancy to autism risk, but the dangers of going off them may outweigh the risks.

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Study links dietary supplement to brain development

by  /  7 March 2016

For some pregnant women, taking the supplement carnitine may lower the risk of having a child with autism.

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February 2016

Obesity, diabetes in mother up autism risk for child

by  /  12 February 2016

The combination of obesity and diabetes in a pregnant woman substantially increases the likelihood that her child will have autism.

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Questions for Moeller, Ochman: Going ape over the microbiome

by  /  2 February 2016

Social interactions shape the bustling communities of gut bacteria in chimpanzees.

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