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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.

December 2011

Clinical research: Cancer drug could treat Angelman syndrome

by  /  21 December 2011

A cancer drug shows promise as a treatment for Angelman syndrome, according to a study published today in Nature.

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Quick test for fragile X may be ideal for developing nations

by  /  21 December 2011

Dried spots of blood taken from infants at birth can help clinicians screen for fragile X syndrome in countries with limited resources, according to a study published 11 October in Genetic Testing and Molecular Biomarkers.

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Adult decisions

by  /  20 December 2011

A new report outlines priorities for studying adults with autism, ranging from designing diagnostic tests to the most effective models of long-term care.

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New scheme ramps up efforts to aggregate autism data

by  /  19 December 2011

The nation’s largest database of autism research is about to get even bigger, thanks to a partnership between the National Database for Autism Research, a repository of data from 25,000 participants, and the Autism Genetic Research Exchange, a database of 2,500 families.

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Model empathy

by  /  16 December 2011

Rats possess a surprising sense of empathy, according to research published last week in Science. The findings highlight one more reason why rats, with their complex repertoire of social behavior, may be well suited for autism studies.

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Molecular mechanisms: Master regulator altered in autism

by  /  16 December 2011

SP1, a protein that regulates the expression of several autism candidate genes, could increase risk of the disorder by simultaneously altering the expression of a number of the genes, according to a study published 24 October in Biological Psychiatry.

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Yellow and orange molecular model of the secondary structure of interleukin-10, a small protein known as a cytokine that plays an important regulatory role in the body's immune system.

Studies of early development reveal immune link to autism

by  /  15 December 2011

The molecular soldiers of the immune system may contribute to many cases of autism, according to a diverse array of studies published in the past few months.

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Genetics: Family pedigrees suggest autism gene candidates

by  /  14 December 2011

Researchers have identified 12 duplications or deletions of DNA regions that are transmitted along with autism in families with a history of the disorder. The results were published 7 October in PLoS One.

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Study links brain size to regressive autism

by  /  12 December 2011

Larger brains may be associated with regressive autism, but only in boys, according to a study published online 28 November in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Genomic liability

by  /  9 December 2011

The rise of whole-genome sequencing is likely to result in a deluge of lawsuits against doctors for misinterpreting disease risks, two lawyers caution in an essay in Slate.

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