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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.

October 2019

Maternal infection may accelerate expression of autism genes

by  /  21 October 2019

Exposure to infection in utero may speed up the expression of many genes linked to autism — and hasten changes in brain anatomy.

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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.

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September 2019
simulated embryos seen developing over time

Human embryo model provides window into early development

by  /  30 September 2019

A 3D model of a human embryo reveals the biological processes that unfold in early development.

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pregnant woman having blood test taken from finger

Anemia in pregnant woman may alter child’s brain development

by  /  20 September 2019

Being anemic while pregnant may increase a woman’s chance of having a child with intellectual disability, autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

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August 2019
Woman looks at her newborn from under the operating tent of c-section surgery

Cesarean sections tenuously tied to autism

by ,  /  29 August 2019

A new study that combines data from more than 20 million births has found that a cesarean section delivery is associated with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

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Early exposure to speech may shape autistic children’s language ability

by  /  1 August 2019

The more words autistic children hear as infants — and the more verbal interactions they have with their caregivers — the better their language skills at age 2.

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July 2019

For autistic adults, a hospital stay carries high risk of death

by  /  24 July 2019

Adults with autism are nearly 50 percent more likely to die in the hospital than their typical peers.

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Family together in kitchen, showing three generations

Majority of autism risk resides in genes, multinational study suggests

by  /  17 July 2019

About 81 percent of autism risk comes from inherited genetic factors, according to an analysis of more than 2 million children from five countries.

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May 2019
neurons in mice brains

Inflammation may wield sex-specific effects on developing brain

by  /  8 May 2019

Exposure to inflammation in the womb may affect the brain and behavior of males and females differently.

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March 2019
Microscope image of microbes.

Genome catalog bolsters global microbiome research

by  /  22 March 2019

The largest-yet attempt to characterize the global diversity of the human microbiome — the population of microbes that live in our bodies — has found 4,930 species, 77 percent of which were previously unknown.

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