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Spectrum: Autism Research News

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Genes

Rare or common, inherited or spontaneous, mutations form the core of autism risk.

January 2012

New technique charts patterns of microRNA expression

by  /  25 January 2012

Researchers have mapped the levels of tiny RNA fragments that regulate gene expression in specific brain regions and subtypes of neurons. The results were published 12 January in Neuron.  

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Risky business

by  /  24 January 2012

The genome-wide association study has been the favorite whipping post among some geneticists, but three new reviews come to its defense.

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Molecular mechanisms: Autism gene tied to neuronal junctions

by  /  24 January 2012

Neurobeachin, or NBEA, an autism–associated gene, may regulate the transport of signaling molecules to neuronal branches, according to a study published 22 November in Nature Communications.

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Mapping whole-brain networks may untangle autism’s roots

by  /  23 January 2012

Analyzing the organization of whole-brain structural networks could reveal differences in the way brains of children with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders are wired.

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Effect of paternal age seen in girls with autism

by  /  19 January 2012

Children, especially girls, with autism who have older fathers are more likely than those with younger fathers to be the only child with the disorder in their family, according to a new study published 16 December in Autism.

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New resource compiles data on autism-linked genes

by  /  18 January 2012

A new online database provides searchable information for nearly 10,000 genes, variants and chromosomal regions linked to autism. Researchers describe the resource, dubbed AutismKB, in the January issue of Nucleic Acids Research.

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Genetics: X chromosome gene linked to autism in males

by  /  18 January 2012

TBL1X, a gene located on the X chromosome, is associated with autism in males but not in females, according to a study published 3 November in Molecular Autism.

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Clinical research: Study suggests drug for fragile X syndrome

by  /  17 January 2012

A compound that boosts inhibitory signals in the brain could treat hyperactivity and excitability in mice that model fragile X syndrome, according to a study published 8 November in Developmental Neuroscience.

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Movement during brain scans may lead to spurious patterns

by  /  16 January 2012

Head movements taint the results of many brain imaging studies, particularly those analyzing children or individuals with developmental disorders, according to two sobering new studies.

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Molecular mechanisms: DISC1 variants inhibit neurogenesis

by  /  13 January 2012

Three variants of DISC1, a gene implicated in schizophrenia and autism, may disrupt the formation of new neurons in the brain, according to a study published 17 November in Neuron.

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